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Denafrips DAC owners - how did ownership compare with the hype?

Most know my thoughts on buying Chinese products. Buying anything Chinese is helping to prop up a very corrupt regime and one that oppresses the very people that help create its wealth. The West is just coming to terms with this and some companies are pulling back production to their own countries, just as they will be doing so to avoid the reliance on Russia. I have nothing against the Chinese people, it is the regime that I dislike. Thankfully, I have been making audio products for 25 years, so I have no need to buy anything from China.

Julian Assange
 
Still absolutely one of the best hifi purchases I’ve made. The micro-skips were pretty rare: maybe one every few hours of playback. It was annoying but not even close to the many annoyances you get from any vinyl record so - in context - not such a big deal. And I don’t care if it’s true NOS or not: it sounds incredible.
 
Still absolutely one of the best hifi purchases I’ve made. The micro-skips were pretty rare: maybe one every few hours of playback. It was annoying but not even close to the many annoyances you get from any vinyl record so - in context - not such a big deal. And I don’t care if it’s true NOS or not: it sounds incredible.
Other than the micro skipping issue, I assume that the Jay's audio transport was a major upgrade, over the CXC, though beyond my budget. Have you used it with USB input?
 
Worthwhile upgrade over CXC, only tried it via coax and I2S though (JA doesn’t have USB output, neither does my streamer)…
 
Worthwhile upgrade over CXC, only tried it via coax and I2S though (JA doesn’t have USB output, neither does my streamer)…
Thanks for the info. Using an Innuos Zen server that outputs via USB, so was wondering as to how the Pontus performed with USB.
 
Has anyone on here had experience of a 'micro skipping issue using certain cd transports?
Over on the SHF there has been a fair bit of discussion about it for some time, but no fix as of yet.
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/denafrips-dacs.897934/page-95
Yes, my Venus II came with the problem. I was using it with an Oppo 205. After nearly a year I sent it back for a refund. It sounded great - best I've had in my room but at close to $3k it shouldn't have an audible fault. And I shouldn't have to buy another transport thats compatible to get glitch-free listening. I don't have the rack space for another transport anyway. I replaced it with a Naim nDac, which is not quite as impressive but it works as it should and was less than half the price (used). Its been more than 18 months since the problem was identified and it's still not sorted. I find that lame and unacceptable. They probably need to redesign the clock board and how they buffer but are reluctant to send out replacements. If anyone has the problem I recommend doing something about it before the 1 year warranty is up.
 
I've had a Pontus 2 for around 18 months and had no issues whatsoever. I feed it with a Pi and digi hat using a toslink connector. As others have said it sounds fantastic. I think the warranty is three years not one year as stated in the previous post.
 
I've had a Pontus 2 for around 18 months and had no issues whatsoever. I feed it with a Pi and digi hat using a toslink connector. As others have said it sounds fantastic. I think the warranty is three years not one year as stated in the previous post.

Out of interest, why did you replace it?
 
It's a long thread now & don't know how relevant this comment will be but I had a Denafrips Pontus & found it no better or worse sounding than my Xiang Sheng 05b DAC. The Pontus is better looking & casework had superior build quality but as it was over twice the price .. I sold it.
 
Worthwhile upgrade over CXC, only tried it via coax and I2S though (JA doesn’t have USB output, neither does my streamer)…
Could you quasiquantify worthwhile? I have a CXC and an extensive CD collection and am interested in getting the best out of the CDs.
 
No problems with my Termi. Sounds absolutely superb. I've had it 3 years.
I'll bet you're not using a Oppo 205 or Cambridge as a transport. The problem is that Denafrips uses 2 or 3 different clocks in the various models and there are compatibility issues with certain transports. Get a good match and you're golden. A bad match equates to the micro skip problem, which in my case was every 15-20 min. And then you start listening for it. Not exactly what I want to do when I park myself in the sweet spot. Moral of this story is - if you buy one make sure you have the right transport.
 
Could you quasiquantify worthwhile? I have a CXC and an extensive CD collection and am interested in getting the best out of the CDs.
Very difficult to quantify, but increased detail and a sense of rhythmical flow that’s greater than I’d previously experienced from any digital source. Possibly also better imaging but I’m not confident in that. Basically, it inspired me to start buying (lots of) cds again and I’ve barely touched my Rega or streaming since.
 
Could you quasiquantify worthwhile? I have a CXC and an extensive CD collection and am interested in getting the best out of the CDs.
My recommendation would be that if you want a Denafrips DAC budget for a Jay's transport to go along with it. There are too many reports of the CXC not working.
 
It's a long thread now & don't know how relevant this comment will be but I had a Denafrips Pontus & found it no better or worse sounding than my Xiang Sheng 05b DAC. The Pontus is better looking & casework had superior build quality but as it was over twice the price .. I sold it.

I’m sure if I said it in this thread or somewhere else. I didn’t choose Denafrips in the end, I went with HoloAudio based on the true NOS which I felt was purer, the isolated USB input and jitter resistance / performance. At the time I had a DSPeaker AM 2.0 and used the DAC in that which is quite old and measures badly with not great jitter according to audio science review and yet, although I could hear a difference, it appeared to me to be more like having a different EQ. In fact, I ended up EQ’ing it back to what I consider correct after re-measuring it and it sort of felt like I was defeating the whole point so I moved it on.
 
I’m sure if I said it in this thread or somewhere else. I didn’t choose Denafrips in the end, I went with HoloAudio based on the true NOS which I felt was purer, the isolated USB input and jitter resistance / performance. At the time I had a DSPeaker AM 2.0 and used the DAC in that which is quite old and measures badly with not great jitter according to audio science review and yet, although I could hear a difference, it appeared to me to be more like having a different EQ. In fact, I ended up EQ’ing it back to what I consider correct after re-measuring it and it sort of felt like I was defeating the whole point so I moved it on.
Have you moved the Holo Spring 3 on?

I'm still looking to buy one... Hopefully soon.
 


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