Denafrips ARES II USB R2R DAC Review

[Deleted member 24508]

Except as the research (which extends far beyond audio engineering into far more consequential fields like psychology and physiology) I linked indicates, hearing the music with your ears is invariably moderated by what you see or know, even at a subconscious level. You see the aesthetics, you read the backstory, you attribute certain characteristics to certain circuit topologies. These affect the perception of difference (let alone preference), introducing huge amounts of unrealiability. Read Zielinski and Rumsey, linked many times on this forum before we can have a productive discussion. Anecdotal experience convinces no one in this place.

You have 2 options: 1) to accept your evaluations are corrupted by these non-auditory stimuli and to take your listening impressions as that of a multi-sensory experience only partially constituted by the actual sound. Your perceptions bear a tenuous link with the actual sound (ie. moving air) output at best. That is the only intellectually-honest way to articulate anecdotal sound evaluations without basic experimental controls. There is no shame in that. I will readily admit I'm shopping for Jeff Rowland gear for that reason - I'm a sucker for the billet aluminium and Lundahls, but I'm under no delusion that they meaningfully change the empirical phenomenon of sound.

Or 2) to accept that such claims are dead-on-arrival as far as validity goes due to these multiple, well-documented sources of massive distortion of our auditory perception, such that it describes an empirical phenomenon. Even multiple sighted impressions that describe the same thing are not valid.

Anything is wilful and abhorrent anti-intellectualism and arrogance. Essentially that you think you aren't bound by the human ear and brain physiology. And that is a claim I, and other right-minded members here, will condemn and call out at every turn. We have provided the resources. There is no excuse.

Do the work. Don't arrogate your layman intuition and anecdotal experience is remotely equal to decades of PhDs working on the subject.

Gee having worked with hundreds of Phd graduates for decades the vast majority were completely useless at anything remotely practical.

 

[VintageFlanker]

And observation is a viable scientific technique.

A controlled one, for sure.

Gee having worked with hundreds of Phd graduates for decades the vast majority were completely useless at anything remotely practical.

PS: using caps doesn't make your claim true.

 

[Veri]

And observation is a viable scientific technique.

Next you're gonna tell me scientists = basically just people excitedly talking about their experiences.
Usually some hard data is required. That's a fact.

 

[linger63]

WHEN THE DIFFERENCE IS SO OBVIOUS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BLIND JUST DEAF TO NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE AN ARIES II AND THE DIFFERENCE TO MY OTHER DACS IS STARTLING AND THEY ALL COST A LOT MORE THAN 200 QUID.

FWIW........
I owned the $1K R2R Denafrips ARES II and sold it as I much preferred the presentation of the $2K DS Gustard X26PRO.
Just my experience.......

 

[Jimbob54]

WHEN THE DIFFERENCE IS SO OBVIOUS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BLIND JUST DEAF TO NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE AN ARIES II AND THE DIFFERENCE TO MY OTHER DACS IS STARTLING AND THEY ALL COST A LOT MORE THAN 200 QUID.

Level matched, shut your eyes or it didn't happen.

 

[BDWoody]

WHEN THE DIFFERENCE IS SO OBVIOUS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BLIND JUST DEAF TO NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE AN ARIES II AND THE DIFFERENCE TO MY OTHER DACS IS STARTLING AND THEY ALL COST A LOT MORE THAN 200 QUID.

Oh look! All caps...now you must REALLY mean it.

 

[Katji]

Hey @Henry53, FYI:

Since 25-30 years ago.

You have the option of Bold or Italics for emphasis.

 

[Katji]

Gee having worked with hundreds of Phd graduates for decades the vast majority were completely useless at anything remotely practical.

I don't understand what that has to do with the topic here.

 

[Mnyb]

It's exactly when you think "THE DIFFERENCE IS SO OBVIOUS" you really need a reality check aka a controlled testing , if you don't get this you don't get the nature of cognitive bias this is the exact thing that can happen without control to all of us!

 

[raif71]

Level matched, shut your eyes or it didn't happen.

 

[sailor2005]

View attachment 125431

Fidelio....

 

[Pdxwayne]

I used to retail horn loudspeakers ( horns) that retailed for around £250k would they count?

Keith

Seems like room is too small for the speakers? ; )

I bet still sound great!

 

[Purité Audio]

The room is around 5x7metres, I thought they sounded ok at the time, then I heard some really excellent active monitors with properly integrated subs and that put the sound from the horns into perspective.
Keith

 

[SubOjectivist]

I can read the data with my eyes, but I hear the music with my ears.

Well, guess where the music you hear is processed? Within your brain.
A dysfunctional one apparently .

 

[CtheArgie]

The room is around 5x7metres, I thought they sounded ok at the time, then I heard some really excellent active monitors with properly integrated subs and that put the sound from the horns into perspective.
Keith

Keith,

One day we will be able to fly/travel again. You will get a visit from me to "see" (pun intended) my next speakers...None of that horn monstrosities, pelase.

 

[AdamG]

Well, guess where the music you hear is processed? Within your brain.
A dysfunctional one apparently .

Welcome Aboard @SubOjectivist.

 

[Deleted member 31910]

I recently upgraded from a Topping D50 to an Ares II. I don't have any data to substantiate my experience and certainly am not technical enough in my understanding to spar with anyone on this forum, but it seems that there is a large contingent of people out there who feel that some dacs do not sound good to their ears while others do -- I'm not sure that it can all totally be explained by psycho acoustics.

My experience: I had my Topping D50 paired with some speakers that I really enjoyed and thought the DAC was great and the combo was really working for me, I had absolutely no complaints with the D50 and used it happily with great results for several years. The speakers it was paired with was Pioneer Elite TZ-7. Then I got a new pair of speakers JBL L7 and I noticed I got listening fatigue in very short order with the Topping D50 and instead went back to my DAC inside the Sony DVP-S9000ES. The D50 was just too clear and transparent and gave me a headache in short order. Subjectively, it also sounded kind of flat even though it was extremely detailed. The main thing was I would get a headache after listening for a short period of time even when adjusting at different volume levels. This never happened before with my other speakers and I never had any bias against the D50 other than I thought it was a great DAC.

Now that I have the Ares II paired with the JBL L7 I can listen for long periods again with no listening fatigue and no headaches. Subjectively, I also perceive a greater depth in the soundstage. I have settled into using it OS/Slow mode. I have not had it very long but it's providing me the detail and dimensionality while not giving me headaches like the D50 did. It may all just be in my head, I have no idea, and I don't really care. As long as I am not getting the headaches.

 

[Ilkless]

don't have any data to substantiate my experience and certainly am not technical enough in my understanding to spar with anyone on this forum... I'm not sure that it can all totally be explained by psycho acoustics.

That's textbook Dunning-Kruger.

 

[VintageFlanker]

The D50 was just too clear and transparent and gave me a headache in short order. Subjectively, it also sounded kind of flat even though it was extremely detailed.

 

[Deleted member 31910]

That's textbook Dunning-Kruger.

Don't know what this means.