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Denafrips maybe have a second thought.

I ordered an ares and received shipment about a week to ten days ago. Initially it would not turn on. Then I saw lights and eventually sound. Not sure what was going on but it was a prelude to what happened next. I liked the sound very musical but when using the first coax input I kept getting this weird volume problem. when a track would start it would cut almost completely off then go back to the original volume. So I needed to send it back which I am doing but it is expensive because there is no USA support at all. I almost bought the Pontus but glad I didn't since it would have cost even more to ship it back.


I am not saying never buy one or bashing denafrips just know if something goes wrong shipping back is exorbitant

viablex1

Showing 3 responses by dgarretson

dgarretson
2,594 posts
 
I recently participated in an local audio club shoot-out between the $4.5K Denafrips Terminator, $2.5K Audio-gd 7, and $17K Aqua Formula.  The Singapore-sourced Terminator is in the sweet spot between these three R2R DACs.  Hopefully Trump's tariffs haven't spoiled that.     
dgarretson
2,594 posts
 

@lordcloud 

After the shoot-out I wrote these comments for a club newsletter:

The Audio-gd 7 is sweet and warm in a pleasing tube-like way. It's a tad less resolving and extended on top than the other two. Down low, it trades ultimate articulation for increased scale, embodiment, and richness. The soundstage is big in all directions. Uncharacteristically, for all its fine qualities it betrayed a slight glare and aggressiveness in the mid-treble.
 
The Denafrips Terminator is more disciplined and neutral across the frequency range, and more resolving and timbrally correct and revealing. There is more of leading edges and trails. PRAT is tighter and faster. The bass is more articulate. Bass is leaner, but there when it needs to be. The soundstage seemed a bit smaller and inside the box, though this may have been due to variations in volume during the demo. It was interesting to compare its oversampling and non-oversampling modes. OS mode adds suppleness and mitigates the slight mechanical disjointedness of non-OS mode.
 
The Aqua Formula (with the recently upgraded USB module) combines the best qualities of the other two, but with more vivid, saturated colors and a quieter jet-black background. It has a rare organic quality that demonstrates both separation and interconnectedness within the whole fabric. The presence region is rich and expansive, but seamless with the high and low regions. This unit rivals vinyl but without the surface noise. It sounds expensive, and it is!  Another attendee called it "romantic"-- it may have a house sound that's a bit richer than life.
 
I conclude that their performances do align in order of price and illustrate the law of diminishing returns that's all too common but still draws us to the big spends. That said, I could happily live with the Denafrips, which has no discernible faults.

dgarretson
2,594 posts
 

@david_ten

I can’t recall the model names, but a high-end ModWright tube preamp and bi-amped ModWright amps, a Roon Nucleus digital server (with USB output), Black Cat ICs and speaker cables, G&G Discoveries power cords, and tweaks by Furutech, Herbie Dots, Black Diamond and G&G Discoveries. Speakers were bespoke full range three-way designs by VB Speakers with a customized Marchand active crossover. Both G&G and VB are members of the NJAS who sell mostly within that group. The overall level of the system was high enough for a clear window into the DACs.

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