I recently bought an Auralic Aries G1 from an online retailer. It was their demo unit and the previous generation but they gave it a full warranty and knocked $1K off the price. Then I bought a new Denafrips Venus 2 12th edition. The match up is heavenly and was the total price for both was right about at your budget. There is not a lot of difference between the G1 and the G1.1.... Several revisions back in my system I had the Bluesound Node 2i and the Denafrips Ares II. It was very good but to my ears the people that are saying that an upscale streamer and App don’t make much of a difference must have a less resolving system. To me it is night and day. Everything has improved and noticeably. Rounding out the system is a Parasound Halo Hint 6 and Martin Logan ESL-X speakers.
|
I just got a used Lumin U1 mini with LPS and a Pontus II 12h edition. According to Vinshine Audio, you don’t necessarily need a DDC if you have a high-end streamer. A DDC is best for cleaning up noisy computer USB signals. I’m very happy with my setup. Worlds better than my old setup (Node+DACMAGIC 200m).
|
@silverfoxvtx1800
I recommend getting the new blue sound node with an external LPS and use it only as a streamer. It is quite good and the BluOS app is really good too. You will then have more money to put towards a better DAC. Good luck!
|
I’m very happy with DAC—Bryston DAC3–which cost me around $3K a few years ago but I think might be around $4K now. It replaced a Mytek Manhattan, which was ultimately two analytical and just not as musical. I really like the Cambridge Audio CXN 60 streamer for a bit over $1K, but the combination might be a bit over $5K. You could always buy the the CA by itself, use the DAC which at least beats Bluesound, and then add another DAC if you want to upgrade. The CA adds AirPlay, Chromecast, and is great with Internet Radio andPodcasts
|
 HiFi rose RS150B DAC/Streamer - I have one and have been very pleased with it. Add a SSD and you can store ripped albums, native control of Tidal/Quboz (and others), accepts BT audio, XLR/RCA to pre-amp. Using it with ML 523/534 pre/power, I think the built in DAC is very good, and if you were to decide to make a DAC upgrade (as I did) then you can use AES/USB/I2S into your DAC. I really like mine, built like a tank, very high quality construction, easy to control via Tablet/Phone, PC or Roon, and the 14"+ display looks great.
|
Have you compared it to other DACs in your system?
|
|
Pulse mini streamer.
R2R ladder DAC for tracks with mainly analog instruments.
But techno stuff, ie, electronic drums, synths and stuff seems to me to sound better on a delta sigma.
Also, my delta sigma has more…. Options on the menu that can make a lower bit rate sound a bit better… the ladder DAC is not kind to anything lower that cd quality and sounds increasingly better up to, my highest so far, dsd 64 (a Boston album)
|
I have a Pontus II as well, and I also love it; additionally, I have a PL preamp and PL power amps, so I think my experience will be relevant to your questions. I have an Iris DDC, but after doing the experiment described below, I no longer use it. I am streaming Qobuz via Roon, so all I really need is a simple Roon endpoint. I had been using an RPI4 running RopieeeXL, and sending the USB output of that to the Iris, and the I2S from the Iris to the Pontus II.
However, I had been curious about the new Mercury V2 streamer, which has direct I2S output. I wanted to see if going direct from the Mercury via I2S would sound better than having to do reclocking and a protocol conversion in the Iris DDC.
I compared these two means of getting a digital stream to the preamp:
- The Mercury, running RopieeeXL, with I2S directly to the Pontus II using an AudioQuest HDMI cable.
- An RPI4 running RopieeeXL, with USB output (WireWorld USB cable) into the Denafrips Iris DDC, whose I2S output then feeds the Denafrips Pontus II (AudioQuest HDMI cable).
Both the Mercury and the RPI4 connected to the same Roon server; both were running RopieeeXL, and the LVDS switches on the Mercury were set so that the Denafrips did not require re-configuration when systems were swapped.
The rest of my system consists of a PL EVO 300 preamp, and then two PL EVO 100 stereo power amps, each one driving a DALI Epicon 6 in vertical bi-amped mode. I also use a pair of Rythmik F12G subs. Roon is served from an i7 Mac Mini that I installed Linux on, and then installed Roon Server.
I switched back and forth between the two setups repeatedly, using a variety of my favorite test tracks. I found the Mercury has similar low end sonics to the RPI4 -- perhaps a slightly more defined attack on, for example, drums -- but there was a noticeable difference in the high end, particularly the attack on light percussion such as sticks, as well as better low level detail in things such as woodwind instruments and faint cymbal swells. This extra detail did not come with any harshness. The enhanced higher frequency sonics lead me to believe that the direct to I2S configuration of the Mercury is substantially more accurate than the reclocking from USB to I2S in the DDC; the precision timing information most likely leads to the increased resolution.
I have retired the Iris and now stream directly from the Mercury V2 to the Pontus II using the I2S connections. I would highly recommend that configuration. Philosophically, having as little equipment as possible between the raw bits and the DAC seems to yield a simplicity that translates to good sound.
|
Almost all streamers will have a volume control which can be bypassed using the Fixed Volume control feature so you control the volume with your preamp. On the Martin Logan Unison you hold the volume down and mute buttons for 5 seconds to enable Fixed Volume and a second time to disable it. See page 10 in the manual:
https://www.martinlogan.com/uploads/documents/manuals/manual-unison.pdf
|
Being I already have a preamp, wouldn’t they conflict with each other..
|
If you are getting a streamer/dac get one with built in room correction like the NAD C-658 with Dirac or the Martin Logan Unison with ARC.
|
Just went to that lab12 site, their Dac isn’t anymore expensive then a PrimaLuna Dac…
|
Oh Boy Audio Troy.............
|
My PrimaLuna pre and amp is tubes…how about a streamer…
|
a 432evo standard3500will bring your dac to a much more analoglike presentation
runs roon and outputs to a usb imput on a dac if you want an analog sounding dac look at a lab12 r2r and tubes
dave and Troy
Audio intellect nj
streaming specialists
|
Actually that sounds very good…I have read up on the Iris…The Auralic Aries G1.1 might change the sound of the Pontus….
‘thanks
|
I think the Pontus II is a great choice. Add the Iris DDC so you can take advantage of its superior i2S input, and check out the new Innuos Pulse Mini streamer and their linear power supply and you’ll be all set. Best of luck.
|
I tried the Node about 6 months ago, it made the bass sound sorta booming and not pleasing to my ears…but thanks..
|
Correct, all you need is a dac/streamer, the preamp will handle volume. To be honest, just get a Bluesound Node and use the internal DAC. The differences between dacs are really small and extremely hard to discern. Most reviews are done using high end headphones to mitigate room and amp impacts. If you really want to keep everything separate though, get a WiiM Mini or Pro and an inexpensive DAC around a similar price to the Bluesound. WiiM has a great app and product support.
|
What are you using for a streamer?
|
I have The Pontus ll and love it.
All the best.
|
Sorry about the mis spelling, it should be streamer
|
