Denafrips Ares II - is it really worth it?

[Chrispy]

Not getting into a mas-macho match with you.
And it really don't matter how many dacs you've "heard".
You are posting on a denafrips thread, if you have not heard the dac in question, your experience is irrelevant!

LOL dacs aren't exactly macho material, sorry. Denafrips is an overpriced piece of hardware IMO, you're welcome to buy into it, tho.

 

[billyjoebob]

We are on the same page then. The crux of the matter is that we try to funnel the focus away from "I wish this was true!" and towards "What is the likelihood of this being true?" instead. It's not about being a stick in the wheel, but an attempt at getting some more efficient fuel in the ttank.

I agree with all you said.
I dont even think the aresii is the bees-kness!
My issue is with people posting about a product the have no clue about!
If someone were to start a thread about Onkyo recievers, I would not reply, cause I don't know anything about Onkyo recievers.
The knowledge I have about Marantz recievers is of no use to that person.
And I'm not gonna go on that thread and bash Onkyo recievers.

 

[billyjoebob]

LOL dacs aren't exactly macho material, sorry. Denafrips is an overpriced piece of hardware IMO, you're welcome to buy into it, tho.

Translation.
I dont like it. So ill come here and bash it.

 

[Chrispy]

Translation.
I dont like it. So ill come here and bash it.

Translation. Someone's golden ear feelings have been hurt?

 

[Danddd]

Translation. Someone's golden ear feelings have been hurt?

I think what @billyjoebob is trying to get through to you is that if you haven't listened to a particular DAC, you're really not adding so much to the conversation as your general opinion of DACs in particular is singular in nature. Audio is one of those things that doesn't really matter much in the scheme of things, more of a distraction, especially as the World turns these days. So, have you auditioned the ARES II DAC in any system?

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

I think what @billyjoebob is trying to get through to you is that if you haven't listened to a particular DAC, you're really not adding so much to the conversation as your general opinion of DACs in particular is singular in nature. Audio is one of those things that doesn't really matter much in the scheme of things, more of a distraction, especially as the World turns these days. So, have you auditioned the ARES II DAC in any system?

I think what a few people have said is that unless you eliminate sighted bias you are not, in any meaningful sense, “auditioning“ anything.

 

[Danddd]

I think what a few people have said is that unless you eliminate sighted bias you are not, in any meaningful sense, “auditioning“ anything.

Yes, that seems to be a thread here on ASR. Still, looking for people who have auditioned the ARES II DAC in any meaningful way.

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

Yes, that seems to be a thread here on ASR. Still, looking for people who have auditioned the ARES II DAC in any meaningful way.

where by “meaningful” you of course mean a properly constructed DBT?

 

[Chrispy]

I think what @billyjoebob is trying to get through to you is that if you haven't listened to a particular DAC, you're really not adding so much to the conversation as your general opinion of DACs in particular is singular in nature. Audio is one of those things that doesn't really matter much in the scheme of things, more of a distraction, especially as the World turns these days. So, have you auditioned the ARES II DAC in any system?

You in the right forum? Listening to DACs, or actually comparing them? Why in hell would I waste my time with the Denafrip? I'd either buy it and use it....or not....and at that price its a definite not. Good luck with your "listening" to dacs.

 

[raif71]

I went from the highly regarded and slightly better rated Gustard X16 (on ASR) to the ARES II. I have test music I like to listen to to check out the differences. There was a significant improvement. Soundstage (bait anyone?) was similar between the two. Guitar strings in particular sounded like it ws right in front of me from Pat Metheny. Peter Frampton on the All Blues track really comes alive... One of my favorite albums is Lonesome Jubilee from Mellencamp. The LP sounds wonderful, where the CDs and streaming versions never sounded that good to me. With the ARES the streaming version is as pleasing as the LP.

As nice as the X16 is, I was bored listening to it after a week. With ARES I find myself digging in my downloaded collection.

I like live music and prefer that type of sound from my system. The ARES moves much more in that direction sound-wise.

I have both X16 and the Ares II in my setup. I have them connected to a preamp (Gustard P26) and then connected to a Singxer-SA1. All I can say is that I like both DACs equally.

 

[Killingbeans]

I agree with all you said.
I dont even think the aresii is the bees-kness!
My issue is with people posting about a product the have no clue about!
If someone were to start a thread about Onkyo recievers, I would not reply, cause I don't know anything about Onkyo recievers.
The knowledge I have about Marantz recievers is of no use to that person.
And I'm not gonna go on that thread and bash Onkyo recievers.

True, if we knew nothing about the product. But Amir actually did measure the Ares II, meaning we have data that allows us to make qualified guesses. Pointing out that a DAC most likely doesn't do anything out of the ordinary isn't "bashing" in my book.

 

[firedog]

I wonder if the reviewer would come to the same conclusion in a blind test....

He says he does do blind testing, just not in the videos.

 

[Danddd]

You in the right forum? Listening to DACs, or actually comparing them? Why in hell would I waste my time with the Denafrip? I'd either buy it and use it....or not....and at that price its a definite not. Good luck with your "listening" to dacs.

The DAC is just one piece in the chain. Still a different link in the chain can change the sound. Yep, probably a wrong forum if people don't appreciate music and the reproduction of it...or maybe you represent just a very negative attitude toward people that you don't agree with.

 

[SIY]

The DAC is just one piece in the chain. Still a different link in the chain can change the sound. Yep, probably a wrong forum if people don't appreciate music and the reproduction of it...or maybe you represent just a very negative attitude toward people that you don't agree with.

Bring evidence that there's any difference in sound between this and any other engineered DAC and you will have something worthwhile to discuss.

 

[billyjoebob]

Interesting

 

[SIY]

Interesting

What does this have to do with DACs?

 

[billyjoebob]

What does this have to do with DACs?

I guess you didn't watch it!
About 1 minute in.

 

[SIY]

I guess you didn't watch it!
About 1 minute in.

I got through five minutes before tapping out. He's just one more excessively wordy guy who never bothers to test his own beliefs because it's fun and profitable to play make-believe. Ho-hum.

 

[BDWoody]

I guess you didn't watch it!
About 1 minute in.

I must have missed the evidence part...

 

[BDWoody]

Yep, probably a wrong forum if people don't appreciate music and the reproduction of it...

So, asking for evidence of the unlikely means we don't appreciate music.

I see.