Denafrips

[Kw6]

To the digital experts here!. What do you guys think of the Denafrips Ares and Terminator dacs? Lot of buzz around these two units.

I currently have a Cambridge 851N streamer. Also a Blusound Node 2. I am considering the Chord Qutest or the Schiit Yaggrisil.

Thanks!

 

[M00ndancer]

To the digital experts here!. What do you guys think of the Denafrips Ares and Terminator dacs? Lot of buzz around these two units.

I currently have a Cambridge 851N streamer. Also a Blusound Node 2. I am considering the Chord Qutest or the Schiit Yaggrisil.

Thanks!

Why? What are you trying to accomplish? Put the money where they do the most. Room treatment, DSP, speakers or headphones. Getting a Denafrips, chord or Yggdrasil will not improve your sound.

 

[pozz]

@Kw6 Despite what many say, the DAC is not the bottleneck to performance in your playback chain, and DACs have no intrinsic sonic signature. If you look up the reviews here you'll see that R2R DACs tend to measure poorly as well.

If you have questions about why this is the case we can discuss it.

 

[renaudrenaud]

May I suggest your read Marx about commodity fetishism?

I do not know if Marx is well known in the USA but at least the russian tracker (to grab music) seems to be well known.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I currently have a Cambridge 851N streamer. Also a Blusound Node 2. I am considering the Chord Qutest or the Schiit Yaggrisil.

May I ask why? What improvements are you expecting for? I'd say the 851N is decent enough. Also, there is a HUGE gap in performance between the Qutest and the Yggdrasil...

What do you guys think of the Denafrips Ares and Terminator dacs? Lot of buzz around these two units.

Well, I guess that's why. Going only by what get a lot of buzz is a good start to be disappointed long-term...

You have to understand that ASR folks are looking for objective performance above all. The 851N hasn't been measured here, sure. But I doubt there will be much audible improvements between this and the Qutest. Sure, the 3V output will make you believe there is...

Spend your money in a decent power amp, speakers or headphones for what matters!

 

[WolfX-700]

Everyone relax, one of my friend ordered an Terminator 2. He promised to send it to me for measurement as soon as possible after getting it.

 

[Veri]

Everyone relax, one of my friend ordered an Terminator 2. He promised to send it to me for measurement as soon as possible after getting it.

I don't think it'll be bad. Just overpriced and worse than MAY.

 

[NTomokawa]

Terminator 2

Come with me if you want to live snake oil.

I have learned that massive transformers and staggering banks of capacitors have nothing to do with objective performance. Indeed the high-performing devices measured on this forum do not have such visually impressive layouts. If anything, such layouts mean hype- and snake oil-based products.

But I'm willing to eat crow for once. Prove me wrong, Denafrips.

 

[MZKM]

What I don’t like about Denafrips is them wanting to hide some of the components they use, if you look at interior shots, they literally scratch off the name of some chips (it’s an AKM chip if I remember).

As for the Terminator, they state a THD+N (SINAD) of 0.0010% (100dB), so for ~$4500, I don’t see why you’d bother. Even if wanting R2R, the cheaper Holo Audio Spring that @WolfX-700 measured is better, let alone the Holo Audio May.

 

[WolfX-700]

What I don’t like about Denafrips is them wanting to hide some of the components they use, if you look at interior shots, they literally scratch off the name of some chips (it’s an AKM chip if I remember).

As for the Terminator, they state a THD+N (SINAD) of 0.0010% (100dB), so for ~$4500, I don’t see why you’d bother. Even if wanting R2R, the cheaper Holo Audio Spring that @WolfX-700 is better, let alone the Holo Audio May.

I've done Spring and May measurements ...

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-measurements-of-holo-audio-spring-dac.10047/

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...may-probably-the-best-discrete-r2r-dac.10161/

So ... Terminator 2 is fun

 

[DuxServit]

What do you guys think of the Denafrips Ares and Terminator dacs?

Send both to Amir for measurements.

 

[renaudrenaud]

Currently there is only one Terminator 2. Other are fakes.

 

[NTomokawa]

Other are fakes.

Others can bite his shiny metal a--!

But seriously, I'm hungering to see measurements of that Denafrips unit.

 

[NTomokawa]

they state a THD+N (SINAD) of 0.0010% (100dB), so for ~$4500

But a beefy power supply section makes the bass sound full and natural! The highs smooth and airy! The presentation extended and effortless!

Audio-GD, probably.

 

[Cahudson42]

Do we really need to waste Amir's time on anything Denafrips?

'So many devices, so little time' Why waste it here?

 

[Kw6]

Why? What are you trying to accomplish? Put the money where they do the most. Room treatment, DSP, speakers or headphones. Getting a Denafrips, chord or Yggdrasil will not improve your sound.

Thanks for the advice! I kinda figured that much! Lots of people pushing the next best thing but emperor has no new clothes!

 

[Kw6]

Thanks for all your opinions! The reason I joined this group is to get straight answers no fluff. My main speakers are the Monitor Audio gold 100 5g, I also have Maggie 1.7i.

 

[NTomokawa]

Do we really need to waste Amir's time on anything Denafrips?

'So many devices, so little time' Why waste it here?

Are they in the same low class as Audio-GD?

 

[pozz]

Everyone relax, one of my friend ordered an Terminator 2. He promised to send it to me for measurement as soon as possible after getting it.

Easiest way to resolve the debate. Nice.

 

[Kw6]

I can't wait till you guys put the Terminator through its paces!