Denafrips ARES II USB R2R DAC Review

[Bob from Florida]

Well. The Ares 2 has no line driver but outputs direct from the ladder with really high output impedance. Any half-decent pre should handle that load fine though, but it's not out of the question that it's an impedance (mis)match causing audible changes.
If you like your current set-up that's all that matters of course... but I just feel like there's likely to be an explanation for what you hear is all.

Are you sure about this? Output impedance is 1250 ohms balance and 625 single ended. The picture below appears to show 3 wire surface mount transistors as buffers connecting to the outputs....

 

[Veri]

Are you sure about this? Output impedance is 1250 ohms balance and 625 single ended. The picture below appears to show 3 wire surface mount transistors as buffers connecting to the outputs....

View attachment 183584

1250R is not too crazy, I must have remember wrong. Thanks for the data.

 

[Danddd]

Well. The Ares 2 has no line driver but outputs direct from the ladder with really high output impedance. Any half-decent pre should handle that load fine though, but it's not out of the question that it's an impedance (mis)match causing audible changes.
If you like your current set-up that's all that matters of course... but I just feel like there's likely to be an explanation for what you hear is all.

Yeah, I wish I could explain it. I've been in this hobby since the early 70s. I realize the X16 measures exceedingly well. And I bought it based in part from the review on ASR. I actually was bored listening to the X16. That was a bad sign. On the Ares the other night, I was listening to Pat Metheny's Side Eye, Live in NY, the Lodger track, when Pat is playing his solo, his guitar sounds like it is right in front of you and it has such a distinctive sound. The X16 really didn't have that kind of magic. For another example, listening to Peter Frampto's All Blues album, track All Blues, Frampton's guitar playing and interaction with the other musicians really stood out. On the X16 it sounded very nice, but not like the Ares. This is what I am meaning by the presence of the Ares. Listening with The Ares really is a great sounding DAC. So this is how I listen, using the music and seeing what I like.

 

[Pdxwayne]

Just listening. I've had my McCormack DNA 0.5 and VTL 2.5 pre over 20 years, Sonus faber Liutos, four years. I am very familiar with my system. On the X16, I noticed the lack of bass. The detail and soundstage was excellent. Keep in mind I wanted to really like the X16. The Ares has more improvement on the low end and has more presence and involvement. By involvement I mean I noticed an improvement on hearing the musci=icians interplay. For my system the Ares 2 is a very good DAC. By the way, saying absolutely is a ridiculous statement and shows lack of open minededness to others opinions.

I wonder the difference of bass could be due higher distortions as circled below:

More distortions might give stronger sense of low end presence?

 

[YSC]

Maybe you are using the NOS mode? I use nos in my holo spring 2 which rolls off the highs a bit, at nesrfield that makes the mids and highs stand out

 

[lordvader]

Are you sure about this? Output impedance is 1250 ohms balance and 625 single ended. The picture below appears to show 3 wire surface mount transistors as buffers connecting to the outputs....

View attachment 183584

Those could be voltage regulators, as the output stage is passive.

 

[Doodski]

Are you sure about this? Output impedance is 1250 ohms balance and 625 single ended. The picture below appears to show 3 wire surface mount transistors as buffers connecting to the outputs....

View attachment 183584

Those might be for muting circuitry.

 

[zepplock]

Yeah, I wish I could explain it. I've been in this hobby since the early 70s. I realize the X16 measures exceedingly well. And I bought it based in part from the review on ASR. I actually was bored listening to the X16. That was a bad sign. On the Ares the other night, I was listening to Pat Metheny's Side Eye, Live in NY, the Lodger track, when Pat is playing his solo, his guitar sounds like it is right in front of you and it has such a distinctive sound. The X16 really didn't have that kind of magic. For another example, listening to Peter Frampto's All Blues album, track All Blues, Frampton's guitar playing and interaction with the other musicians really stood out. On the X16 it sounded very nice, but not like the Ares. This is what I am meaning by the presence of the Ares. Listening with The Ares really is a great sounding DAC. So this is how I listen, using the music and seeing what I like.

Lots of feelings...

 

[Danddd]

Lots of feelings...

And yet, not a very helpful comment...

 

[MaxBuck]

And yet, not a very helpful comment...

Bottom line is that, if there is some objective, potentially measurable reason for what you believe you hear as a difference between these two DACs, no one here knows what it is. And everyone here who agrees with @amirm believes it's a result of sighted bias rather than any actual difference in produced signal. I'm among those people.

 

[raif71]

 

[Danddd]

Bottom line is that, if there is some objective, potentially measurable reason for what you believe you hear as a difference between these two DACs, no one here knows what it is. And everyone here who agrees with @amirm believes it's a result of sighted bias rather than any actual difference in produced signal. I'm among those people.

So basically you feel that there is no difference due to measurements. But in actuality, you haven't heard the two DACs side by side in a system. Because if you did, you'd hear differences between them. Or would your bias in believing measurements would over ride?

 

[MisterDee]

Stick with the measurements. I buy different DACs as I like the variation in form and case design. They look different, and the difference can be measured so sighted bias is acceptable here but audibly, they all sound exactly the same.

 

[MaxBuck]

So basically you feel that there is no difference due to measurements. But in actuality, you haven't heard the two DACs side by side in a system. Because if you did, you'd hear differences between them. Or would your bias in believing measurements would over ride?

How do you know I'd hear a difference? Because, in sighted comparison, you believe you did?

You appear to be unaware of what this website is about.

 

[zepplock]

And yet, not a very helpful comment...

Now you know how I felt after reading yours. All that text boils down to: I "believe" I hear a difference. I prefer the sound of DAC A to DAC B, hence DAC B is better.

 

[Killingbeans]

But in actuality, you haven't heard the two DACs side by side in a system. Because if you did, you'd hear differences between them.

Possibly. But the difference could very well be caused by preconceived notions of the two DACs, or somethings as silly as a lack of accurate volume matching.

Or would your bias in believing measurements would over ride?

Yes, that definitely could happen. But one person's bias doesn't nullify another person's bias. If he takes a blind test and aren't able to hear a difference, then there can be two possible conclusions: "There's a high risk of there being no audible difference, or he was biased towards not hearing a difference". But if you took the same test and also couldn't hear a difference, that only points to one conclusion: "There's a high risk of there being no audible difference". Doesn't matter what bias the naysayers have. The person who claims to have an ability is also the one who carries the burden of proof.

I'm not going to demand any proof though. Anecdotes gonna anecdote.

 

[Holmz]

So basically you feel that there is no difference due to measurements.

A measurement is not a feeling.

But in actuality, you haven't heard the two DACs side by side in a system. Because if you did, you'd hear differences between them. Or would your bias in believing measurements would over ride?

In a blind test we could have a chance.
Right now you have a story that is pretty unconvincing.

The only response to reading the ‘feelings review’ is something like, “Ok cool… good for you.”

 

[khark]

It's very easy to check with a Youtube frequency sweep if you think that there any bass differences between components .

 

[zepplock]

It's very easy to check with a Youtube frequency sweep if you think that there any bass differences between components .

Only if you have a calibrated microphone

 

[khark]

Only if you have a calibrated microphone

Audibility is good enough here, there doesn't need to be more rigor than that.