For some reason these R2R DACS remind me of trying to optimize a 1936 Ford flathead pushrod v8 to compete with a 32 valve 4 cam Cobra..
When you can do it, it's damned impressive... It's not for me, but that doesn't mean it's not pretty well done.
For some reason these R2R DACS remind me of trying to optimize a 1936 Ford flathead pushrod v8 to compete with a 32 valve 4 cam Cobra..
There's more to a DAC than just being a DAC. Do you want to be able to switch filters? Do you want balanced outputs? Do you use it with a remote control often? Do you need a good pre-out with volume control. At that point, comparing it with a D10 or a dongle seems unfair. The Topping D70 has a comparable setup though (the D30 still lacks balanced out). But the D70 goes for €499,-. Now that's a good comparison because you have a Chinese DAC and a DAC from Singapore, the Denafrips lacks behind in shear performance but at this point, the remaining ~$180,- can be easily justified if it matched your gear better, has better I/O for your use case, you like the look better, you feel more connected to one or either brand....
There's a lot that goes into choosing a DAC and @amirm 's measurements are a fantastic way to make a short-list. But then you could still find 10 products in your acceptable performance and price range. That's when the real comparisons and shopping begins.
Sorry for some question, for NOS filterless dacs, as for holo audio may or even the spring, it seems in that mode they are still having brilliant SINAD, won't that still be a more correct waveform than most DS filtered dacs?R2R (in all its forms) and DS (in all its variations) as well as other conversion methods out there is just a way to convert a known sample value to a corresponding voltage level.
When proper filtering is done and post filtering is applied it is all moot. Just another method with similar result.
There isn't magic in any of the methods. Just math and electronics (which also do not possess magic).
Trickery and non compliance to the sampling theorem can make any box 'stand out from the crowd'.
Some prefer that others like to have the device put out the described output signal.
Filterless NOS (DS or R2R or whatever other method) at 44.1/48k certainly does not put out the correct waveform. That doesn't stop some people to liking it that way.
Has nothing to do with 'improved sound'.
With R2R, DS and other methods one can build excellent devices right down to utter crap.
It looks like the Ares II is much closer to excellent than utter crap.
so in the standard measurement suite WolfX or amirm does can we see those defects? maybe in multitone plots?Nope, alas the waveform above 5kHz is compromised in real time (see Archimago's plot below)
SINAD only says something of 1kHz tone + noise and not a sound quality measure.
One can have a device with excellent SINAD and still sound horrible because of a 20dB roll-off around 10kHz for instance (filterless NOS is less roll-off the number is just for arguments sake).
You need to look at many measurements before one can make an educated guess about its performance.
Measurements will say nothing about how some people perceive the device.
Again, look at waveform of good DS and r2r at something like 20 khz @-80 db and we'll talk again about "good perfomance"
Again, look at waveform of good DS and r2r at something like 20 khz @-80 db and we'll talk again about "good perfomance"
-80dB at 20kHz is inaudible to any human, so performance in this area is totally irrelevant to sound quality.Again, look at waveform of good DS and r2r at something like 20 khz @-80 db and we'll talk again about "good perfomance"
Here's a cheap DS DAC playing 20 kHz at -80 dBFS:Again, look at waveform of good DS and r2r at something like 20 khz @-80 db and we'll talk again about "good perfomance"
looks interesting, I know DS dacs usually perform well in this regard, but can anyone with a holo audio or this denafrips ares II in NOS mode can shine some light onto how it performs in NOS?
looks interesting, I know DS dacs usually perform well in this regard, but can anyone with a holo audio or this denafrips ares II in NOS mode can shine some light onto how it performs in NOS?
16 and 24 bit NOS mode, just to see if these new products have shaping filter but not cut off filter or oversamplingIn 16 or 24 bits ?
44.1, 48, 88, 96 or higher sample rate ?
filtered or filterless ?
Dithered or not ?
Which dither (when dithered) ?
I would like to see the Pontus measured here too. That’s right at the price point I’m looking at for a balanced DAC.Their official reseller/distributor is right here though @Alvin1118 Any chance of sending in a Pontus/Venus/Terminator?
Cheers
I don't like it, even though those caps are 105°C rated LX Nippon-Chemicon caps, they are so cramped inside without any airflow that I worry about the longevity of those.There are some interesting components including that toroidal transformer.
The operating temperature will be more like 35c or lower. Giving that -10c = twice longevity, I don't see that to be the issue.I don't like it, even though those caps are 105°C rated LX Nippon-Chemicon caps, they are so cramped inside without any airflow that I worry about the longevity of those.
It's called conformal coating.