Ladder Schumann FPGA Dac

[prateek]

This new dac from Shenzhenaudio has piqued my interest.
Is this a Chinese contender for Chord??
LADDER Schumann FPGA DAC

LADDER Schumann Digital to Analog Convertor (DAC)

shenzhenaudio.com: professional headphone, earphone, amplifier, dac, decoder, hifi player, cable supermarket. you will find good price here.

shenzhenaudio.com

The build resonates a lot with the Denafrips build and design. Looking for some details as Shenzhenaudio is pretty tight lipped about the pcb images and are unable to share any technical specs.

Should I trust my gut and go for a blind buy?
Thanks!

Edit - not happening without the numbers and reviews. Silly me!

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Seems like it's a ladder dac.
There is no such thing really as FPGA dac.
A lot of people call them that way but it's stretching reality.

Chord usee FPGA but it's used for upsampling and noise shaping purpose. Actual delta sigma conversion is happening in discrete components.

Hope that helps.

 

[AnalogSteph]

If you have $1200 burning a hole in your pocket this badly, you might as well order an E1DA Cosmos ADC to go with it (it's less than 200) and assess the performance of the thing, then you'll know how good it is at least.

Generally speaking though, that much money for a DAC that doesn't even have a volume control, let alone a decent display, would be a pass for me. That's firmly in vanity hi-fi terrain. Doesn't look like it's seen any compliance testing either, so I'd be rather keen on internal shots for electrical safety assessment alone.

 

[prateek]

If you have $1200 burning a hole in your pocket this badly, you might as well order an E1DA Cosmos ADC to go with it (it's less than 200) and assess the performance of the thing, then you'll know how good it is at least.

Generally speaking though, that much money for a DAC that doesn't even have a volume control, let alone a decent display, would be a pass for me. That's firmly in vanity hi-fi terrain. Doesn't look like it's seen any compliance testing either, so I'd be rather keen on internal shots for electrical safety assessment alone.

Thanks for the jolt! I got carried away and didn't even bother about numbers.
Time to use the brains.
I will wait for its review.

 

[sarumbear]

This new dac from Shenzhenaudio has piqued my interest.
Is this a Chinese contender for Chord??
LADDER Schumann FPGA DAC

LADDER Schumann Digital to Analog Convertor (DAC)

shenzhenaudio.com: professional headphone, earphone, amplifier, dac, decoder, hifi player, cable supermarket. you will find good price here.

shenzhenaudio.com

The build resonates a lot with the Denafrips build and design. Looking for some details as Shenzhenaudio is pretty tight lipped about the pcb images and are unable to share any technical specs.

Should I trust my gut and go for a blind buy?
Thanks!

Other their language mistakes there’s nothing to see there.

 

[Veri]

Looks like just a Denafrips OEM product or clone.

 

[Frank Sol]

 

[AlephAlpha001]

Haven't watched the video review above, but am going to bloviate regardless.

I just checked out the Shenzhen Audio site and they no longer stock any Denafrips DACs. They did before, because I bought my Ares 2 from them.

Initial guess is that Denafrips / Vinshine are tightening up their marketing and distribution and don't want the Denafrips brand being associated with SEZ Audio and other similar Redacted-Fi web sales platforms. That being said, no real harm in selling a re-badged bottom of the range Ares 2 on those platforms and scooping up more sales. Mere speculation, of course.

Update: Skimmed the video. No reveal of the circuit board. No board pic on SEZ Audio site either. Doubles my suspicion that this is an Ares 2 with the LED indicators shifted to be left of the buttons instead of over them. Only thing is that it's priced more than an Ares 2 and less than a Pontus...

Just wish they'd called it Bartok or Vivaldi. One can hope

 

[kaopad999]

Tharbamar has just posted a review

 

[charleski]

Well if the shot of the board in that (otherwise content-free) video is right, then it’s definitely not just a rebadged Ares.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Tharbamar has just posted a review

A DAC on cones and vibration dampers …. I think I pass on the video.

 

[DHT 845]

Looks good inside.
How about specs like output impedance and voltage?

 

[latheofheaven]

Haven't watched the video review above, but am going to bloviate regardless.

I just checked out the Shenzhen Audio site and they no longer stock any Denafrips DACs. They did before, because I bought my Ares 2 from them.

Initial guess is that Denafrips / Vinshine are tightening up their marketing and distribution and don't want the Denafrips brand being associated with SEZ Audio and other similar Redacted-Fi web sales platforms. That being said, no real harm in selling a re-badged bottom of the range Ares 2 on those platforms and scooping up more sales. Mere speculation, of course.

Update: Skimmed the video. No reveal of the circuit board. No board pic on SEZ Audio site either. Doubles my suspicion that this is an Ares 2 with the LED indicators shifted to be left of the buttons instead of over them. Only thing is that it's priced more than an Ares 2 and less than a Pontus...

Just wish they'd called it Bartok or Vivaldi. One can hope

Well... I may be missing something here, but since the Ares II goes for about $850 (Singapore $1149)

Haven't watched the video review above, but am going to bloviate regardless.

I just checked out the Shenzhen Audio site and they no longer stock any Denafrips DACs. They did before, because I bought my Ares 2 from them.

Initial guess is that Denafrips / Vinshine are tightening up their marketing and distribution and don't want the Denafrips brand being associated with SEZ Audio and other similar Redacted-Fi web sales platforms. That being said, no real harm in selling a re-badged bottom of the range Ares 2 on those platforms and scooping up more sales. Mere speculation, of course.

Update: Skimmed the video. No reveal of the circuit board. No board pic on SEZ Audio site either. Doubles my suspicion that this is an Ares 2 with the LED indicators shifted to be left of the buttons instead of over them. Only thing is that it's priced more than an Ares 2 and less than a Pontus...

Just wish they'd called it Bartok or Vivaldi. One can hope

Maybe I'm missing something, but being that the Ares II goes for about $850 (Singapore $1149) and this one goes for $1400 US, uh, I don't think you can call it 'Bottom Range' Ares II

 

[Chrispy]

The "new" dac would bring what, tho? Just an urge to continually shop dacs?

 

[Omar Cumming]

How many DAC reviews does this site have to publish to make clear that transparent DACs can be purchased for $100-200. Why not spend your money on something that actually can make a an audible difference.

Cheers

 

[jae]

no spec = no buy

also no remote...

 

[Frank Sol]

How many DAC reviews does this site have to publish to make clear that transparent DACs can be purchased for $100-200. Why not spend your money on something that actually can make a an audible difference.

Cheers

Some people enjoy or even prefer a 'colored' sound

 

[Unknown_Command]

How many DAC reviews does this site have to publish to make clear that transparent DACs can be purchased for $100-200. Why not spend your money on something that actually can make a an audible difference.

Cheers

What would be your personal recommendations?

 

[Steven Holt]

What would be your personal recommendations?

I don't want to steal Mr Cumming's thunder, but the Topping E series would be a good choice. BTW, I absolutely believe he is spot - on with his comment.

 

[Omar Cumming]

The Topping D10 and E series are the price/performance leaders, choose based on the connections needed.

I don't want to denigrate other brands so look at the many reviews listed at the above "Review Index" tab. There may be many others that fit your needs.

Cheers