The Computer Audiophile Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 View full article Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
botrytis Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 45 lbs? Did they add lead to it? Sorry being a little snarky. How does it compare to say a DCS or other high end DAC? wouterk 1 Current: Daphile on an AMD A10-9500 with 16 GB RAM DAC - TEAC UD-501 DAC Pre-amp - Rotel RC-1590 Amplification - Benchmark AHB2 amplifier Speakers - Revel M126Be with 2 REL 7/ti subwoofers Cables - Tara Labs RSC Reference and Blue Jean Cable Balanced Interconnects Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted April 21, 2021 Author Share Posted April 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, botrytis said: 45 lbs? Did they add lead to it? Sorry being a little snarky. How does it compare to say a DCS or other high end DAC? The chassis is made of depleted uranium. Only joking. The Denafrips is a different animal from most other DACs. It certainly has a flavor, but all components do. Danny Kaey 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
firedog Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Hi- Pretty interesting. I'm a bit confused by one part, though: What was your NAA endpoint? The Sonore specs max out at 768kHz, so how did you do 1536? And how different is that from the same setup but with 768 (which is more commonly available)? Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted April 21, 2021 Author Share Posted April 21, 2021 3 minutes ago, firedog said: Hi- Pretty interesting. I'm a bit confused by one part, though: What was your NAA endpoint? The Sonore specs max out at 768kHz, so how did you do 1536? And how different is that from the same setup but with 768 (which is more commonly available)? The Sonore has no such maximum. My guess is a maximum may have been tested previously because nobody had anything that could go to 32fs. My Sonore signatureRendu SE optical can handle 32fs at 1,411 and 1,536 kHz. I didn't extensively compare 768 to 1536. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Blake Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Nice review Chris. Agreed, Alvin has provided the best support and customer service I have ever experienced in audio. USA-based support is also available as you noted. I look forward to your report on the Terminator 2. I sincerely hope Alvin is also sending you a Denafrips DDC and some clock cables so you can experience the clock out feature which really takes things to another sonic level. Speaker Room: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Pacific 2 | Viva Linea | Constellation Inspiration Stereo 1.0 | FinkTeam Kim | Revel subs Office Headphone System: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Golden Gate 3 | Viva Egoista | Abyss AB1266 Phi TC Link to comment
StreamFidelity Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Hi Chris, I love to read your reviews. Your reports often have a nice backstory that allows the reader to follow you. And yes Denafrips builds great DACs. Thanks Gabriel The Computer Audiophile 1 Grigg Audio Solutions Owner StreamFidelitys Setup: Sonus Faber Amati Futura | T+A M10 | T+A SDV 3100 HV | fis Audio PC & Server | GigaWatt PC4-EVO+ | JCAT OPTIMO S ATX | FARAD Super10 & Super3 | Keces P8 | Afterdark Buffalo Switch | fis Audio Cables | Solidsteel HJ-3 / HY-A Link to comment
AudioDoctor Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 All this time I thought a R2R DAC had to convert all incoming DSD to PCM. Is that not the case? No electron left behind. Link to comment
giordy60 Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 great review Chris 👍 wouterk 1 sistema: Server HDPlex (i7-6700-WS2016) HQPlayer con Ramdisk + HQPDcontrol > Macmini (roon core+Qobuz) o HQPlayer Client + Qobuz > HDPlex NAA (celeron G1840T-WS2016) NAD con Ramdisk, o miniPC Fitlet con immagine di Miska > Denafrips Ares2 , SPLvolume2 > Monitor KH+sub Link to comment
Exocer Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Awesome review Chris. Has this become your new go-to DAC? Also wondering how you would compare it to some of your prior favorites. opus101 1 Link to comment
Popular Post bbosler Posted April 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted April 21, 2021 I am using a Mac Mini M1 as Roon server with HQPlayer and agree that using HQplayer to upsample while running the Terminator ( a Terminator plus in this case) in NOS mode is the way to go. I am also using a Denafrips Hermes DDC to convert USB to I2S. To my ear, that outperforms USB direct to the Terminator even though the Hermes is limited to 1/2 the maximum rate of the Terminator USB input. The M1 easily does DSD 512 but haven't tried 1024. I assume at some point they will offer a DDC that will do USB to the higher rates as the I2S input on the Terminator will accept it. I was using a pretty powerful computer as an HQPlayer NAA with USB to DDC with JCAT USB and ethernet cards, external linear DC supply , etc, connected to the Mini with 2 Cisco 2960 switches using the optical SFP outputs, but I couldn't hear any benefit over connecting the Mini USB direct to the DDC so that's how I'm currently set up. I realize that at this level the options for getting your digital files from a server to the DAC along with the options for processing those files before sending them start to become too numerous to explore them all in a reasonable amount of time, but that's my experience. I highly recommend adding the Hermes into the mix for conversion to I2S. Even though they have a more expensive DDC, Alvin advised that for this purpose the Hermes was the equivalent of the more expensive Gaia. In both cases you feed the clocks from the Terminator to clock the DDC. Superdad and wouterk 1 1 see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
Foggie Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 31 minutes ago, bbosler said: The M1 easily does DSD 512 but haven't tried 1024. FWIW, Chris was upsampling PCM to high rate PCM in that case. My rig Link to comment
Foggie Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said: All this time I thought a R2R DAC had to convert all incoming DSD to PCM. Is that not the case? I believe it depends on the R2R in question. I believe something like the MAY has discrete PCM and DSD in a R2R package, but something like the Yggy doesn't do DSD and has to convert DSD > PCM.....I think. I don't think there are many R2R's that handle both formats like the MAY does. My rig Link to comment
bbosler Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Chris, I see your PCM settings, what settings are you using in HQP for DSD upsampling? see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted April 21, 2021 Author Share Posted April 21, 2021 3 minutes ago, bbosler said: Chris, I see your PCM settings, what settings are you using in HQP for DSD upsampling? I’m converting everything to PCM for the Terminator. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Yessongs Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Chris, An excellent review that you teased some months ago when mentioned up-sampling. The Denafrips Pontus has been on my "COVID Revenge Shopping LIst" for some time so I will probably go ahead and purchase. Inspired by your CAPS builds'. I had a custom Roon server built using the same Streamcom DB4, Ryzen processor, 64gb RAM, 5TB of NVME SSD, HDPLEX internal and external power supplies, HQPlayer / NAA. USB out to my DAC. I use HQP Ext2 / DSD 256 / ASDM7EC for filters. I then did another combination: Roon server on one PC and my Small Green Computer I7 for HQP only (all other functions disabled). The sound quality took another leap upwards. Your reviews have always lead me to better sound quality. Thanks The Computer Audiophile 1 Link to comment
R1200CL Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Chris You didn’t compare the digital inputs ? Only USB ? Any reason for this ? Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted April 22, 2021 Author Share Posted April 22, 2021 7 minutes ago, R1200CL said: Chris You didn’t compare the digital inputs ? Only USB ? Any reason for this ? A guy can only do so much :~) wouterk 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Popular Post Josh Mound Posted April 22, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2021 Great review, Chris, and high praise for the Terminator. How does it compare to the Berkeley Alpha and the Yggy? Exocer and opus101 2 🔊 The Best Version Of... 🎧 Link to comment
cjf Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Mother of God. The asking price of those Wilson footers take my breath away. Now we wait to see which brand has the balls to be the first to ask for double that of the Wilson price. The audiophile brand price war on who can make the most expensive stuff never ends 😀 The DAC looks pretty cool though My Audio System -Last Updated May 20 2021 Link to comment
cjmv50 Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 I am curious about the Terminator II. I just looked at the Denefrips website and it not there. I see it listed on Vishine Audio’s website. No mention of the what’s new or the sonic improvement from those changes. Link to comment
firedog Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 39 minutes ago, cjmv50 said: I am curious about the Terminator II. I just looked at the Denefrips website and it not there. I see it listed on Vishine Audio’s website. No mention of the what’s new or the sonic improvement from those changes. https://www.vinshineaudio.com/product-page/denafrips-terminator-r2r-dac Vinshine are the people who actually sell it, so that's the place to look. wouterk 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
Popular Post firedog Posted April 22, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2021 The Terminator and Plus are quite expensive. I'm wondering if people could start with the Ares II, which has similar technical capabilities, for a relatively modest sum and see how they like the Denafrips approach. If they like it, then sell the Ares and move up to one of the top of the line models. Theoretically, the terms allow you to return it within 30 days at no cost, so you could also return it and buy one of the more expensive models. ednaz and blue2 1 1 Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
JoeWhip Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Yes the Wilson feet are expensive. I have no experience with them so won’t comment on them other than to say I trust Chris. I did get some Critical Mass System .8 footers for my Yggy from a friend who is a dealer. Much to my surprise they did make a noticeable improvement in the sound. I am not sure the improvement was worth the grief from the finance committee once she found out what they cost, but...... I have since found footers from an acquaintance DIYer that work just as well for way less money that I have placed under other components. The CMS footers stay under the Yggy. The short story, footers can be a benefit. Whether they are worth the cost is totally up to you though. Link to comment
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