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Denafrips ARES II USB R2R DAC Review

deprogrammed

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I think I understand how this works. Measurements are all that matters regardless of price or anything else. If a $500 DAC measures as good as a $50,000 DAC they must sound exactly the same. This is starting to sound a forum for people who can't afford hi end audio trying to convince themselves their budget gear is just as good. I get it.
Ahh, classism. Nice. Says a lot about you. Or just maybe this whole DAC thing is a solved problem. The plebes don't get it I guess?
 

ThomasMac

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Input impedance is often specified. If not, ask the company for it or search for measurements. Unless that impedance is variable however, its only effect will be reduced output from the DAC. To the extent your amplification gain is robust, that should not be a problem.
I have to ask... if one was to pair the Ares II up with the Schiit Freya +...using XLRs...in tube gain..
Would that be a bad move? Freya +...I think has a input impedance of 10k. Ares II, as stated above is 2.4k. I have both coming this week...didn't really to think to check the Freyas input impedance. Wondering what I can expect.
 

Veri

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Made test with SMSL SU-9 against ARES II.
Anyone that claims DACs dont matter, you are fools. Big time. Anyone can hear the difference at ones. The sound is just so much bigger. All around you.
You notice that in 0.1 sec when you push play. The imaging is so much better.

And I guess your wife/guests even heard it across the room? :D

Did you volume match? All your imaging/ "bigger sound" can be perfectly explained by voltage levels. It's not that hard to grasp. But I guess you prefer to curse people out and live in self-imposed ignorance ...
 

Teroz

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From headphone. STAX L700. Yes level matched. Even if smsl is lauder the sound is still so much better. If you have not hear it, dont bother.. this is so big differences that i really have became DAC believer for ever. Anyway you try its better. When with smsl soundstage is 10centimeter outside your head with ares its literally 10times larger. You think if the same sounds are coming from next room etc.
 

Jimbob54

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Made test with SMSL SU-9 against ARES II.
Anyone that claims DACs dont matter, you are fools. Big time. Anyone can hear the difference at ones. The sound is just so much bigger. All around you.
You notice that in 0.1 sec when you push play. The imaging is so much better.
On my STAX L700 and T1 amp.
If you even try to tell "there is no difference in DACs" i will ignore you for life.
Absolutely stupidest thing to claim.

There *should* be no *audible* difference in those two DACs . Can I go on your ignore list?
 

Jimbob54

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From headphone. STAX L700. Yes level matched. Even if smsl is lauder the sound is still so much better. If you have not hear it, dont bother.. this is so big differences that i really have became DAC believer for ever. Anyway you try its better. When with smsl soundstage is 10centimeter outside your head with ares its literally 10times larger. You think if the same sounds are coming from next room etc.

Dont you want the sound to seem as if its coming from the room you are in, ideally as if coming from players/ speakers in front of you? Methinks you are employing a little too much hyperbole.
 
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Teroz

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Just like good speakers, the sounds sounds like its not coming from speakers at all. Just like in good headphones. Its like you are actually in the stage or in front of it, echoes comes all around you just like in real life.
 

Teroz

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Jimbob54

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Just like good speakers, the sounds sounds like its not coming from speakers at all. Just like in good headphones. Its like you are actually in the stage or in front of it, echoes comes all around you just like in real life.
Uh huh
 

pkane

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Made test with SMSL SU-9 against ARES II.
Anyone that claims DACs dont matter, you are fools. Big time. Anyone can hear the difference at ones. The sound is just so much bigger. All around you.
You notice that in 0.1 sec when you push play. The imaging is so much better.
On my STAX L700 and T1 amp.
If you even try to tell "there is no difference in DACs" i will ignore you for life.
Absolutely stupidest thing to claim.

Absolutely! And anyone who thinks that Earth is round are also all fools. Anybody can see that it is flat!
 

Pdxwayne

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From headphone. STAX L700. Yes level matched. Even if smsl is lauder the sound is still so much better. If you have not hear it, dont bother.. this is so big differences that i really have became DAC believer for ever. Anyway you try its better. When with smsl soundstage is 10centimeter outside your head with ares its literally 10times larger. You think if the same sounds are coming from next room etc.
Would you please explain how you level match?

Also, the filter used in Smsl can make a difference too. What filter was used when you made the comparison?

I have one long thread about comparing two DAC and it ended up being one dac has higher voltage output when being fed same signal. Also, the other dac used a filter that cut off highs too much.

Here is a chart in that thread that show different DAC has different voltage output when being fed same signal.

Once voltage matched and filter matched (as close as possible), it was really hard to tell a difference.

Do you have a chance to check the voltage output of each dac when being fed same signal?

Do you have voltage meter? Or capture device that can provide spl info to REW? With REW, you can see if both DAC level matched or not. You can also see if filter used caused too much difference or not.
 
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gvl

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Would you please explain how you level match?

If you have this tool it’s a no-brainer.

1633025759755.png
 

Maki

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Made test with SMSL SU-9 against ARES II.
Anyone that claims DACs dont matter, you are fools. Big time. Anyone can hear the difference at ones. The sound is just so much bigger. All around you.
You notice that in 0.1 sec when you push play. The imaging is so much better.
On my STAX L700 and T1 amp.
If you even try to tell "there is no difference in DACs" i will ignore you for life.
Absolutely stupidest thing to claim.
Ur gear isn't resolving enough to hear that all dacs are the same, try again with sr-009S and kgsshv carbon lol
 

Teroz

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Would you please explain how you level match?

Also, the filter used in Smsl can make a difference too. What filter was used when you made the comparison?

I have one long thread about comparing two DAC and it ended up being one dac has higher voltage output when being fed same signal. Also, the other dac used a filter that cut off highs too much.

Here is a chart in that thread that show different DAC has different voltage output when being fed same signal.

Once voltage matched and filter matched (as close as possible), it was really hard to tell a difference.

Do you have a chance to check the voltage output of each dac when being fed same signal?

Do you have voltage meter? Or capture device that can provide spl info to REW? With REW, you can see if both DAC level matched or not. You can also see if filter used caused too much difference or not.
Both from RCA 2.0v. I did use Testo 815 Sound Level Meter from office so i can get 0.1Db accuracy from headphones BUT none of these did matter. Whatever the levels were, ARES is just so much better sounding. If you dont own it yourself, all this dont matter at all..
Oh yeah the filters. Well they too didnt matter at all. SMSL filters do about 0.01% change to the sound if at all. Sound coloring off ofc.
The difference is literally like you go from 100€ closed back gaming headset to HD 650, or even to HD800. It is HUGE.
This is not some little nuance change..
 
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