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Denafrips Ares II thoughts

cporton

pfm Member
Some background first of all before I comment on my most recent purchase...

I grew up, in hi-fi terms, working in a Linn dealership as a Saturday boy while at school and college in the 80s. I arrived assuming the digital revolution would be in full swing there but it wasn't long before my first Linn LP12 turntable was installed at home and the world of vinyl opened up to me.

There were a number of key attributes that I loved about vinyl. To quote Linn's own criteria, being able to follow the tune played by every instrument, not just the lead. Being able to listen into a depths of a recording, noticing those tiny musical timing clues, feeling like it was a real band playing together rather than just a set of noises. These are the things I love about a live performance... and what I've always valued from my hi-fi.

However, as time went on, the takeover by the CD took place and so I needed to join the digital world too. So a Linn Karik / Numerik combination arrived and of all the CD players I've heard, it's still one of the better options for those musical attributes... albeit never reaching the heights of my Linn LP12 (classik Ittok, Troika, Lingo, Linto combination). The sync cable between the Karik and Numerik is clearly the magic ingredient here... remove this and those musical clues fall away leaving just sounds. Clearly digital audio is more than just the 1s and 0s.

Coming up to the current day and streaming is the next requirement for the music lover. I have been using separate streamers and DACs because often there are multiple digital sources involved, such as TVs, computers etc. I have used my Linn Numerik, I've used a Benchmark DAC2-HGC and played around with a SMSL M300 to see what a AKM chip device is like.

The problem was I couldn't use a sync cable with a streamer with my Linn Numerik, so the timing and nuance was never there. And I was never satisfied with either the Benchmark or SMSL - they both had that "digital" sound to my ears. Further research revealed that both of those devices used Sigma-Delta converters (ESS ES9018 and AKM AK4497) whereas the Burr-Brown PCM1702 used in the Linn Numerik uses a R-2R ladder approach.

I wondered if I could find a R-2R ladder DAC with better syncing with the data stream (via a USB link looked promising) to match the approach in my Linn Karik / Numerik.

I started reading about the Denafrips range of R-2R ladder DACs and so ordered a Denafrips Ares II from Willow Tree Audio. It is being fed from a Raspberry Pi running Moode as a Roon endpoint with my Mac Mini as the Roon server. All connections are wired, the Raspberry Pi has a iFi iPower supply and I'm using a Kimber USB cable. The settings on the Ares II are for oversampling with a slow filter. It has had many hundreds of hours of play now so is fully settled.

What what have I found?

For the first time, I now have a digital system that is much, much better than my Karik / Numerik... which dates from 1996, so maybe no surprise there. Except that the Benchmark DAC2-HGC didn't manage it in many musical respects. It has all the musical timing and nuance present and the ability to listen into the depths of a recording is quite unlike anything digital I've ever lived with. It has been described as having an "analogue" sound and it has made a major jump towards the things I love about vinyl.

The greatest complement I can pay it is that I'm now constantly reaching through the back catalogue and playing albums I haven't heard for ages, wondering "how will it sound on this" and noticing musical details that had previously passed me by. Particularly albums I've never owned on vinyl. It's been one of those purchases that is an absolute joy from the start and I'm so pleased that the decision to buy it purely based on internet reviews (albeit with a money back guarantee) has paid off so handsomely.

I appreciate that compared to Linn's own £30k R-2R ladder DAC / streamer, my purchase is quite down to earth, but I imagine if Linn folk from back in the 80s were to choose a sub £1k DAC in today's market, the Denafrips would be high on their list.

Anyway, I wanted to post here to give the Denafrips Ares II a wholehearted recommendation. I have no doubt the more expensive models are terrific too... but the £800 Ares II is, in my view, quite the bargain.

Thanks for reading and happy listening.

Chris
 
Glad you found it to sound so good. As it happens, I’ve been considering this dac also driven by a rpi4 via usb as my next upgrade, well, either this or the Bifrost2.
 
Nice write up! Glad you enjoy it! I took delivery of a Pontus II last month and in detail terms it easily bests my Audio Note TT2 deluxe, and that's literally just tidal hifi through a CCA. It's the best digital I've ever owned, and 'musical' with it, too.
 
Great write up. If you're comparing it to all those Linn products including a great LP12 setup and finding it stacks up, it must be good. Chip based DACs are so last year.
 
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Some background first of all before I comment on my most recent purchase...

I grew up, in hi-fi terms, working in a Linn dealership as a Saturday boy while at school and college in the 80s. I arrived assuming the digital revolution would be in full swing there but it wasn't long before my first Linn LP12 turntable was installed at home and the world of vinyl opened up to me.

There were a number of key attributes that I loved about vinyl. To quote Linn's own criteria, being able to follow the tune played by every instrument, not just the lead. Being able to listen into a depths of a recording, noticing those tiny musical timing clues, feeling like it was a real band playing together rather than just a set of noises. These are the things I love about a live performance... and what I've always valued from my hi-fi.

However, as time went on, the takeover by the CD took place and so I needed to join the digital world too. So a Linn Karik / Numerik combination arrived and of all the CD players I've heard, it's still one of the better options for those musical attributes... albeit never reaching the heights of my Linn LP12 (classik Ittok, Troika, Lingo, Linto combination). The sync cable between the Karik and Numerik is clearly the magic ingredient here... remove this and those musical clues fall away leaving just sounds. Clearly digital audio is more than just the 1s and 0s.

Coming up to the current day and streaming is the next requirement for the music lover. I have been using separate streamers and DACs because often there are multiple digital sources involved, such as TVs, computers etc. I have used my Linn Numerik, I've used a Benchmark DAC2-HGC and played around with a SMSL M300 to see what a AKM chip device is like.

The problem was I couldn't use a sync cable with a streamer with my Linn Numerik, so the timing and nuance was never there. And I was never satisfied with either the Benchmark or SMSL - they both had that "digital" sound to my ears. Further research revealed that both of those devices used Sigma-Delta converters (ESS ES9018 and AKM AK4497) whereas the Burr-Brown PCM1702 used in the Linn Numerik uses a R-2R ladder approach.

I wondered if I could find a R-2R ladder DAC with better syncing with the data stream (via a USB link looked promising) to match the approach in my Linn Karik / Numerik.

I started reading about the Denafrips range of R-2R ladder DACs and so ordered a Denafrips Ares II from Willow Tree Audio. It is being fed from a Raspberry Pi running Moode as a Roon endpoint with my Mac Mini as the Roon server. All connections are wired, the Raspberry Pi has a iFi iPower supply and I'm using a Kimber USB cable. The settings on the Ares II are for oversampling with a slow filter. It has had many hundreds of hours of play now so is fully settled.

What what have I found?

For the first time, I now have a digital system that is much, much better than my Karik / Numerik... which dates from 1996, so maybe no surprise there. Except that the Benchmark DAC2-HGC didn't manage it in many musical respects. It has all the musical timing and nuance present and the ability to listen into the depths of a recording is quite unlike anything digital I've ever lived with. It has been described as having an "analogue" sound and it has made a major jump towards the things I love about vinyl.

The greatest complement I can pay it is that I'm now constantly reaching through the back catalogue and playing albums I haven't heard for ages, wondering "how will it sound on this" and noticing musical details that had previously passed me by. Particularly albums I've never owned on vinyl. It's been one of those purchases that is an absolute joy from the start and I'm so pleased that the decision to buy it purely based on internet reviews (albeit with a money back guarantee) has paid off so handsomely.

I appreciate that compared to Linn's own £30k R-2R ladder DAC / streamer, my purchase is quite down to earth, but I imagine if Linn folk from back in the 80s were to choose a sub £1k DAC in today's market, the Denafrips would be high on their list.

Anyway, I wanted to post here to give the Denafrips Ares II a wholehearted recommendation. I have no doubt the more expensive models are terrific too... but the £800 Ares II is, in my view, quite the bargain.

Thanks for reading and happy listening.

Chris

Funnily enough we had some Ares II delivered to us earlier on today. At £800 the Ares II is indeed a bargain and then some. Even at £1500 Ares II would not be be out of place.

Denafrips discrete R2R DAC’s that sound like R2R tape decks :)
 
I'll spoil the party somewhat. I have the Ares ii and initially did not think it that much better than my regular DAC, and even wrote as much here on same, but happy to admit on reflection and longer term consideration I was wrong. It does indeed exhibit better spatial qualities, tonal qualities etc. That said, I still do not think it is comparable to good analogue. Rather, it does possess some of the of a good qualities of a decent analogue setup. And of course, it comes without the fussing. I'd certainly recommend a demo.
 
I'll spoil the party somewhat. I have the Ares ii and initially did not think it that much better than my regular DAC, and even wrote as much here on same, but happy to admit on reflection and longer term consideration I was wrong. It does indeed exhibit better spatial qualities, tonal qualities etc. That said, I still do not think it is comparable to good analogue. Rather, it does possess some of the of a good qualities of a decent analogue setup. And of course, it comes without the fussing. I'd certainly recommend a demo.
You should try the Pontus II.
 
I am currently revelling in hearing the Ares II DAC with Lavardin Technologies ISX Reference amplifier and QLN Prestige 3's loudspeakers :)

From Denafrips -

The ARES II DAC is built with a sole objective in mind - to reproduce digital music to analoguelike sound for today’s audiophile. The use of advanced hardware design, powerful digital processing technology, combined with the know-how of recording and reproduction experiences, ARES II DAC achieved the digital music playback goals - musical expression.

The architecture uses the most primitive R-2R DAC technology, it is probably the most suitable architecture to reproduce music. Despite the test results of various measurements and parameters of the conventional R-2R DAC may usually not as good as the mainstream integrated DAC chip, but the sound of R-2R DAC, is often filled with emotion, relaxing, high resolution, and addictive musicality that most of the common mainstream integrated DAC chips cannot match.
 
Thanks for the compliments on the write up. If my numbers come up on the lottery, I'll be heading up the range... but until then will enjoy the Ares II in blissful ignorance of how good the Pontus II is :D
 
Damn! I’ve just been celebrating that a decent digital sound can sit in the palm of your hand then the next ‘wonder box’ is taking up a bucketful of space again!;)
 
I'll spoil the party somewhat. I have the Ares ii and initially did not think it that much better than my regular DAC, and even wrote as much here on same, but happy to admit on reflection and longer term consideration I was wrong. It does indeed exhibit better spatial qualities, tonal qualities etc. That said, I still do not think it is comparable to good analogue. Rather, it does possess some of the of a good qualities of a decent analogue setup. And of course, it comes without the fussing. I'd certainly recommend a demo.

What is your regular DAC?
 
Funnily enough we had some Ares II delivered to us earlier on today. At £800 the Ares II is indeed a bargain and then some. Even at £1500 Ares II would not be be out of place.

Denafrips discrete R2R DAC’s that sound like R2R tape decks :)

Are your Ares IIs allocated, Rick?
 
No. We have our new demo/display Ares II which I unboxed earlier on today and one brand new Ares II available.

Received some more Ares II DAC's and a GAIA Digital to Digital Converter earlier on today. Looking forward to trying the GAIA with the Ares II DAC, Pontus II DAC, Venus II DAC and Terminator II DAC.

Gaia.webp


https://www.denafrips.com/gaia
 
Thanks for the compliments on the write up. If my numbers come up on the lottery, I'll be heading up the range... but until then will enjoy the Ares II in blissful ignorance of how good the Pontus II is :D
Before improving the Dac I’d suggest trying a melco.
 
I've owned a Denafrips Iris DDC and still have the Hermes (mostly for testing/curiosity these days).

They can work well if you have a "dirty" digital source and/or a DAC USB input that's worse than its other inputs (and of course worse than the Denafrips USB input). Or if you have a low quality SPDIF source you wish to reclock before the DAC.

In addition, within the Denafrips range, the new Terminator 2 and Plus have clock outputs that you can send to the corresponding clock input of the DDC. This clever tech is said to improve the sound by using the DAC clock instead of the DDC clock.

Though in this use case I still don't understand what the Gaia DDC is supposed to bring to the party, you spend thousands on a very high spec internal clock etc. which you would then override.
 


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