As someone who has worked in the electronics industry for nearly 40 years I really appreciate your clear concise explanation of circuits which no other reviewers do (probably) because they might get lost (Hans Beekhuyzen excepted). Love the channel, keep up the good work.
Chasing higher performance can be a slippery slope no matter how much you spend. Burn in time is critical and the impatient won’t be gleeful immediately. You warned them about it. That is more prevalent depending on the component manufacturer as well as what it is also, a preamp or dac for example. If you are comparing two speaker stands for example, it is necessary to seal the hollow tubes at the bases prior to filling and , depending on fastener size and thread, torquing all fasteners with a torque wrench is necessary to ensure uniform tension at the base plate. You’re guaranteed uniformity with the tube or tubes with the base plate. This is just like aircraft and missile assembly. Failure to address steps properly, will sacrifice your install and that will likely cause other issues including sealing issues with the base as well as mechanical coupling differences which interfere with energy transference . Some may question this or disagree. They’re wrong. It’s consistency that yields the reliable, repeatable results. It’s about the details people. Little things overlooked have the cost of failure or less than ideal results.
Tarun. Another great review. As someone considering a Denafrips DAC this review has been helpful. BTW I’ve been following your channel since its inception and thank you for what you are doing for the audiophile community worldwide. Greetings from Australia.
This was your most meaningful review "to me" so far! I have a Pontus II and LOVE it 😍. So excited about "your" comparison of these two great DACs, as my system "may" be worthy of The Venus. (DynAudio Contour 20s, Schiit Freya+ w/NOS Tubes, McIntosh MC152 Solid State Power Amp). Tarun, your THOROUGH , precision, informative review has me firmly seated & staying where I am with a smile on my face😊! Sounds like a mildly incremental improvement for my system that would not justify the expenditure & changeout.. You have stopped The FOMO for this audiophile!!! THANKS! 👍🏼
I really enjoy how Tarun differentiates the classes by general price point and articulates the sonic characteristics of the devices. I can't understand how many 'audio reviewers' do not have the words to define what they hear. Sounds great! and 'sonic nirvana' are not precise terms. Well done Tarun! I believe you will continue to grow the channel and have great success.
Another spectacular review. After watching this and another where you said the Venus II was NOT going to be sent back, I wondered why I purchased the Pontus II and not the Venus II. I guess it would have been the 1,200-1,300 price difference. Not too terrible but I'm happy with my Pontus II.
Hi Tarun. Just ordered the Pontus 12th Anniversary. Keep posting great videos. As an educator, I truly appreciate how you visually walkthrough and breakdown your reviews. Cheers!
Thanks for your work, my personal experience with upgrades is I have Ares II and one day decided based on Sandu review to get smsl vmv d2, dac of the year, warm sound amazing resolution.... and it didn't come close to Ares being doubled the price of Ares. I was thinking I will get best of both words ( R2r and Delta sigma ), maybe one day technology will rich this point but not in this case. I sold the Smsl stayed with Ares and now safely going for Pontus. That's my expiriance with upgrading :))
Just a couple random comments. First, what a great hobby this is. Once again it took me an entire Beethoven symphony to fold my laundry. Kept stopping and listening. And thank you Tarun. I realize how much effort your reviews require. While you have to listen critically, I can just enjoy the sound and music.
Great review as always! Went from the Ares II and after a year and a half bought the Pontus II. Many have asked me if paying twice the price was worth it. And I put it this way; if the Ares II gets a rating of 100 for price relative to performance, I would give the Pontus II rating of 125-133 relative to the Ares II at 2x the cost. Was it worth paying double....absolutely!
This was an awesome review! Wish I had both Dac's at the same time when I did my review, but it didn't work out that way. Glad to hear that the difference is noticeable once burn in was complete. 🍻
Tarun, I just bought the Venus II after pondering a lot between it and the wonderful Pontus II. During this decision phase I was looking for a serious review comparing these devices and when I started watching your video I confess I was quite nervous but in the end I believe it was a good choice despite being sure that Pontus would already deliver me everything I need. Congratulations on the work with the usual quality.
That’s how I felt when choosing my Venus 2 over the Pontus. Precious few reviews of the Venus 2. Different presentation too. All I can say is that the Venus 2 in my system impressed me so much that I felt the need to move onto the Terminator 2. Best of both worlds is what I’ve heard, given I love my Venus 2 in my system I’m curious to hear the next stage up.
It is nice to see when an upgrade model is really an upgrade and not just something different. One of my biggest upgrade failures was to put a moving coil cartridge on a vintage Pioneer turntable. I could not get it to work. It had a hum that I could not get rid of. This happened many years ago but I am still weary of moving coil cartridges and I prefer high output cartridges in general because of the signal to noise ratio that is better.
Hi Hugo, I removed “run away brides” comment. The only person I permit to be criticised on my channel (within reason) is myself. Thank you once again for sharing your experiences and apologies for having to put up with someone else’s rudeness 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, thanks, it was a bit of a strange comment. I have a fairly thick skin so no harm done. Also, no need to apologize, you can not control these kind of reactions. Any way, I always enjoy your excellent reviews.
Another great review Tarun. And as always, your comparison of the gear under review is so useful. I'd go so far as to say that any review without comparison to known standards is merely advertising.
Thank you Tarun for another outstanding review. I just ordered the Venus II 12th from Alvin. Your review kicked me over the edge vs the Pontus II. When you crack these cases open and go over all of the bits, it was difficult to not purchase the Venus. There is something about the Denafrips sound, and after dropping two new dedicated 20 amp circuits to my AV setup, the sound is simply getting better and better... I also added one of Alvin's linear power supplies to my (N130) Node, which kicked that up a couple of levels... Alright, heading up to the bank to wire Alvin the funds. Thanks again Tarun!
I can only say I'm pleased the new and younger audiophiles get to experience 3D holography and "musicality" from R2R DACs, same as I used to from analogue records and cassette and not that jarring, flat and "uninterested" Delta Sigma type sound, for that I am truly grateful.
Another great review Tarun. Thanks to your reviews I’ve now evolved my system to Sugden A21SE, Auralic Aries G1 with upgraded PSU, Denafrips Pontus II, Denafrips Hermes DDC, Proac Response D2R’s and Mogami w3104 speaker cables. Pretty much all from your reviews. The synergy is fantastic. Just need a pair of Target R1 stands now, keep your eyes open for me.
That is a lovely system Mr M. Thank you for letting me know. There is a Canadian company that has revived the name and seem to be reproducing the stands. Good luck 😊👍 www.targetaudioproducts.com/home.html
Excellent review and superb channel. It would be interesting to have you review the Gustard R26 r2r dac and get your opinion as to how it compares with the these Denafrips dacs.
Tarun, thank you so much for your great review! This is one of the best reviews I have ever seen or read! You took your time and got those two devices at the same time for a longer periode to dive into the differences in sound and character. In my opinion this can only be done with enough time, when out consciousness drifts away and our for this matter much more powerful unconsciousness gets the calm/quiet to listen. I hope many people will join your channel, and prefer slow food over junk food, so that many distributors and brands will send you review units for a longer period! My system is mainly DIY, on a quite high level. I upgraded a Schiit Yggdrasil with a Mola Mola Tambaqui, and to no surprise, it was better. Until now I haven't compared it to other DACs in this league, but I'll do. And as the honeymoon is over, I can be realistic and maybe even objective in my findings when I do. Another area are cables, and I feel this is a minefield. I go slowly and enjoy the music on my way. All the best and take care! Matthias
Remarkably clear review and capable of technical insight. Fascinating comparisons were made between these two excellent DACs, which are different essentially in terms of component quality while the system architecture in each model remains similar. I’ve always been held with the NAIM philosophy - in the hifi chain, the source is the most important part of your hifi equipment because it gets all the musical information off to a great start, next is amplification, and finally speakers then connections. I would spend more money on the source than amplification and speakers because a modest amplifier connected to a superior source will outperform a setup with superior amplification and an inferior source. So the answer for all hifi is the source.
I have the Venus II and can confirm that it takes a very long time to properly run in. When HiFi Critic reviewed the Terminator +, Kevin Fiske observed that it needed around 800 hours of play before it truly came on song, and I suspect that's about right. Anyway, thanks for a well structured video review that confirms everything that I hear from my Venus II.
500 hours to burn in my Venus 2. Really impressed with this dac so bit the bullet and have just ordered a Terminator 2 12th anniversary edition. Got at least another 500 hours of burn in to look forward to.
Another excellent review. I got the Pontus and apparently it's still breaking in but at least it sounds good now vs cold start. I notice there is room on the back for two RCA inputs. I wish there was an extra RCA input as the Ares has two RCA inputs. Using BNC to RcA adapters I've been able to hear sonic degradation. With an Audiolab 6000 CDT and the Bluesound Node both with a Single RCA outputs, I need two RCA inputs and ordered my Pontus that way. Luckily they are flexible enough to do that for me at no charge. Shipping was quick. Five days from China to the US west coast. Their US repair facility added the extra RCA and the service was quick and expertly done.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've gone upgrade crazy and added a Rogue hybrid RL5 preamp and a pair of Belles Aria monoblolcks. I was lucky as all upgrades have improved the sound, no back sliding. Even luckier, I've sold on all the formerly wonderful equipment. Next is the PD Creative LPS upgrade for the Node. As an habitual gear hound I am bound to look for other things to experiment with. I only wish I could find more music that I like. Some of the singers recommended by Tidal sound like a small animal being strangled. One thing I regret, I have heard good things about the Border Patrol DAC and they allow a two week audition, same price a the Pontus. I wish I'd given that a tryout before ordering the Pontus. Oh well. I can still do it, the only penalty being US return shipping if it doesn't stack up to the Pontus. What am I going to do if I like it better. Better do it after the Pontus is fully incubated.. The BP uses an odd tube that I've never seen before.
@@fletchermunson6225 If I may suggest: a Scandinavian vocalist called Beady Belle. Very well recorded and most of all, an interesting music, at least to me. I suggest listening chronologically as her style changes. Let me know if you like this type of music, please
@@wladers39 Thank You I have it liked on Tidal. Might be a while to get to it. Having issues. However, I will do it. You might like Temptations by Holley Cole. Sings Ton Waits songs.
Thanks Tarun, you gave me a heart attack. 🤣 Got my Venus II some months ago as an upgrade to the Ares II. Anyway, kinda relieved now that you think the extra cash spent on the Venus II isn't all wasted.
Yes spot on Tarun, the Pontus 2 is excellent and musical. May I suggest getting the Iris DDC with I2S ( Jays Audio ) to pair with the Pontus 2 instead of getting the Venus 2. I’m using Kef LS50 metas with Rel T5X powered by Willsenton R800i with rolled tubes. Sounds pretty good in my smallish room.
Good answer Tarun to this Robert Wang. I have not listen to those one, i have the Ares 2 and thinking get Pontus 2, but Venus 2 bothers me... Keep telling your audio taste or listening experience, even if it may displease or oppose what some people think or appreciate in audiophile terms@@abritishaudiophile7314
Wierdly I also had to email Alvin re the lacklustre sound I was getting from my Venus II and that was after two weeks of non stop streaming via Roon. I was worried I had wasted money! Perseverance was the answer from Alvin and oh was he so so right, and as you have also found. It took a month for the sound to start revealing itself, almost growing up - height, width depth clarity as well as slam and fleshing out the body and dynamics of natural sound. It now sounds so natural, voices are breathtakingly big and real and full of inflection. In all it took a few months and swear improvements still exist after a couple of years. I couldn’t stretch to the terminator at the time I bought the Venus I really wonder what that next unit is capable of. Are you going to be in a fortunate position of being able to test the terminator at all, I would eagerly await a review to your usual very high standards 😀
Excellent side by side internal examination of both DAC's. The Pontus II will be a future acquisition. A recent upgrade from the Quad S-2 (GBP 599.99) to the Ophidian Mojo2 (GBP 1200.00) backfired. After 3 months of extensive A-B testing, the Quad S-2 are better in all regards except mid-bass dynamics.
@@karstenchoydesigns Before the Venus 2 I used the dac built-in my Mark Levinson No585. Which is not too shabby either. The Venus (not completely broken-in yet) has more detail, is more musical to the analog side. Hard to describe. I chose the Venus to be in the middle of what Denafrips offers. Ordering from Singapore was flawless, actually I ordered a Venus 2, but got a Venus 2 12th Anniversary Edition where some components in the PSU box are fine-tuned and the O-Core transformer is upsized from 60 to 80 VA. Vinshine Audio is very helpful if you have questions. No idea what will happen long term, but the start is positive.
Thanks Tarun. The Venus is obviously worth considering. I don't have a lot of stories about upgrading and partnering to share. But I will urge everyone who are buying second hand to be very careful about potential defects - those who are not experienced should get help. For instance, I have my eye on a second-hand Accuphase Class A power amp and I really want it. So much, in fact, that I am almost willing to assume it is without faults, as the seller claims.
Tarun, your review made me want to give the Denafrips Ares II another few months of burn in. I bought the Denafrips Ares II and had it burn in for a 60 hrs or so when I first got it and to be honest, the sound was good after the burn in, a noticeable improvement from brand new out of the box. However, it wasn't noticeably better than the Topping D70s I had hooked up, which sounded very analogue already so into the closet it went for many months. I'm taking it back out today to replace the D70s for a few months to see if it would continue to get better. I'm also pairing it with the Burson Funk powering the PSB Imagine Minis on my desktop setup and also the Hifiman HE6SE V2 which I recently acquired for under $500 brand new from an Adorama sale. I think the quality of the gear should be able to show the difference between the D70s and the Ares II in a few months.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 It's been 3 weeks and this morning I got curious and decided to swap the Topping D70s back in. I listened to a few test tracks right before the swap and immediately I can already tell a compression in the sound stage width and depth. Things just felt congested/closer together like it's too crowded when lots of instruments are playing. The Ares II gave much more breathing room between in the instruments. I don't know if this is because the Topping D70s needs to be warmed up but that's what I'll do today and report back.
I would really like to see a review of Gustard R26. Some says that it's holy grail of R2R DACS. With price of 1700 EUR it's the best dac under 3500 EUR and in some ways even better than Denafrips Terminator Plus. (according to soundnews review on youtube)
Gustard’s DACs, including their lower range like the X16 with built-in streamer, have never failed to deliver music that’s extremely pleasing to the ears - highs are extended, mids are full and bass is deep. What’s more, these DACs are built like a tank, ensuring many years of enjoyment.
I own an Ares II and I agree that it is a very good DAC. My main caveat with it though, is its slightly "soft" (less dynamic) bass, that lack some of the clarity and control that the Bifrost 2 has, for example. So, I have been looking for another DAC ... and I have found one, from an unexpected source: Geshelli Labs now has their JNOG2 aka J2 with an AK4493 chip. Long story short - with a third party 12V 4A linear power supply - the J2 AKM has replaced the Ares II in my main system. It is better bottom to top, in every way - *including* soundstage, instrument separation, bass and midrange dynamics, and detail retrieval. I had been looking for an R2R like the Pontus II, or the Musician Pegasus, or the Ladder Schumann - but now I am no longer looking at a more expensive R2R DAC. The Geshelli J2 AKM is my new reference DAC.
Can you share the details on the power supply you added to the J2? I have a J2 on order and would like the upgraded PSU as well. Any links is appreciated.
@@matrix311 They are sold under several brand names, but the main one is BRZHiFi, and you want a 25W 12V linear power supply. They often have two options for the brand of toroidal transformer they use - the less expensive (by maybe $15-20) in Bingzi, and the better one is Talema. I don't think posting a link will fly, I am sorry to say.
Excellent review, as always. I had the original NAD 3020 and Mission bookshelf loudspeakers, which I always enjoyed. I “upgraded” the amp to a Plinius integrated amp which was objectively better in all respects. But…I found the sound too cold and analytical. I never had the “emotional” connection that I did with the NAD.
Great review Tarun. Both these DACS were on my shortlist but an almost-new Metrum Onyx NOS R2R DAC came up for the same price as the Pontus so I went for that and I'm very happy with it.
The Pontus has several times been reviewed to be the warmer more full bodied of the two. Just to confirm that this was not your impression (after full burn in)? Also great review as ever 😊
Ty. Have a dac in my h90. It took a time before I used it with hi res audio(tidal) use a topping d50 to my tube amp. But mostly bt in my bedroom. But I had a cable,a silver one bought by meters,no connection. A pretty cheap upgrade. Borrowed a 150£ cable and it became muffled and worse I thought. Build a supra cable and yes, I lost a little top end but gained grip and texture in the bass. Warmer midrange but didn’t loose resolution in the details. Mabye I will test other cables in the future.
Oh my friend, my audiophile journey hasn't been all that long. And it's more about headphones. I originally had a Nokia x2-00 and on-ear headphones with a 3cm driver for $1.5. Oh nokia gave such a dense and dynamic sound! But I tore these headphones, I tried to get drunk, but not enough for a long time. I just got high on this sound. But when I changed phone to my first Chinese phone I compared its sound with my Nokia Nokia had much better sound. But then 3 years later I bought myself a Leeco le max 2 and bluetooth on-ear headphones for $20. Oh, they sounded terrible, but after half a year I tried the equalizer built into this phone and lo and behold, I tweaked the settings and it was a shock, I was just not happy with myself. Such a sound, and such a chic quality of voice calls! But one day I fell asleep on the bottom and the mount cracked and problems began with the convenience of wearing. I had B. W px (failed mid) and Tecniks za60 (too cutting selfies). But no high-end headphones can compare with those Chinese. And the main thing is my Leeco le max 2 source. I had a Meizu 16 phone and then I realized what a gorgeous sound Leeco le max 2 has. And most importantly, I realized that the magic was in this phone, firstly there is a sound technology that gives gorgeous sound. And his equalizer, he changed the sound of the headphones without distortion! Unfortunately, in order to make the sound of PX and za60 adequate, you have to edit their tone through the AIMP application on android. Yes, high-end ear muffs give more separation of layers and details. But if you, by ear, are able to set the perfect tonality, for you it is more important than any details and layers! And of course, the source, especially in headphones, is even more important than the extraction device itself!
I too caught the Denafrips bug started with Pontus, then Venus, then Terminator. All serve a purpose as a great DAC under each budget range. From my experience, Pontus II is the sweet spot. But the Terminator II blows the other 2 away. I wish I had the budget for Terminator Plus, but my gut feeling is that it will sound very close to Terminator II since specs and parts are very similar.
Another cool video thanks. I always learn something watching your videos and I have gained a better understanding of the insides of equipment over the past few years.
Interesting opening comments. I recently bought an Ares II and Iris DDC to replace a Metrum Acoustics Musette in my headphone system. Out of the box it sounded bloody awful. I've had it running Roon 24/7 for the last few weeks and while the musicality has improved, the clarity and detail I experience with Metrum Acoustics DACs just isn't there. I'm now trying to decide whether to go Pontus II with Hermes DDC, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM or completely empty the coffers and go Metrum Acoustics Pavane. I'd be far more confident to try the Pontus if Denafrips had a return policy; I really don't want to get stuck with a DAC that doesn't suit me. Thanks for the upload!
John. I own the Pontus II with Hermes. I really like the combo. The Pontus is a high quality that brings feel and substance to the music.... When I added the Hermes the clarity and air improved by a significant factor. I personally felt a Hermes + Pontus II would equal or better a.venus but I never the latter. In summary: I think you should go for Pontus II + Hermes especially if you have an avg streamer. Hermes may not improve your input as much if your streamer is top notch, sending a lower jitter sig via i2s. If you don't have...do it. A great combo and surprised me how much a ddc helped my chain.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Just reporting back a month further on. The Ares II has really improved. I'll be honest, I never believed in burn in until now. It's a completely different DAC now and sounds excellent feeding my new Linear Tube Audio MZ3 headphone amplifier. Of course we always look to make the sound better :) Am now considering Pontus II + Hermes, or Venus II on it's own (initially at least). I shall let you know how I get on. All the best.
I just got my ares 2 over a week ago and am quite disappointed with it. Honestly just feel it’s quite boring and very little standing out as great. But, it’s good to hear from others how long these really need to sound just right. Happy to hear you gave the Venus the time 😉
I had the Ares 2 and sold it., Truthfully it wasnt much of an improvement over the onboard DAC of my Bluesound NODE, and in some music I actually preferred the NODE because of its better mids and bass. My system is VERY Mid-fi with the NODE> Rotel A14 mk2>Elac Ubr62/Focal Clears. I think Id have to upgrade my system to actually detect a big enough difference to make it worth it. I dont think these standalone DACs start shining until you hit around 5k in gear.
@@drewpknutz1410 you could be right but I think it comes down more to system matching. I have Harbeth p3esr xd and Audiolab 8300a which are 6k total in Canada. The softness of the dac just doesn’t shine well with the softness of the speakers. But again, I think it needs more time to open up that realism everyone talks about in reviews.
Mr. Tarun, how would you quantify benefits of going from Aries II to Pontus II vs Pontus II to Venus II ? BTW outstanding review, as always. Live Long and Prosper!😊
I've sold my $800-$1200 DACs recently, because the technical wizardry lost its appeal. Not to say they sounded bad (I liked them quite a bit), but I found after a few months, they were kind of lifeless compared to my waaay less expensive Cayin RU6 and Gishelli J2 AKM. Even though the more expensive DACs sounded larger and more detailed. Personal preference, for sure. I liken it to dating an amazing, exciting 25 year old person, or a more refined, calmer 35 year old. I could see the appeal of both.
quite interesting observation you have here. I recently ordered a Gishelli J2 AKM (they have that chip again) - for a secondary system - it did not arrive yet. But there is no stopping me slotting it into my main system - will be a very interesting experiment.
@@alphaniner3770 I also have a Geshelli J2 AKM on order, still about 2 weeks out they said and the recent hurricane Ian also put a slow down to things. I saw another comment on cheapaudioman that guy owns the Geshelli J2 AKM and the Pontus II and he said he can hardly hear any difference if at all between the two of them. Doing multiple A/B tests and the Geshelli is right up there with the Pontus. I dont know what his system consists of, maybe he doesnt have a revealing enough system to differentiate between the two DACs. Either way I just ordered the Pontus II and that will arrive next week for my main listening station and I bought the Geshelli J2 AKM for my secondary system. I look forward to doing some A/B between the two on my main system to see how they compare. I've heard nothing but 100% excellent things from the Geshelli J2 AKM DAC.
@@alphaniner3770 The first thing I noticed about the J2, was the tone. It has zero graininess compared to my more expensive DACs. It was a less wide soundstage (not terrible, just less wide), though, so I initially switched back to my other DACs. But something kept telling me to listen again after a week or so, and in the end, the tone won me over.
I replaced my Ares II with the RU6, yes it is that good. Now, trying to decide, Venus II or Pontus II... I already have an Iris, and a Mercury V2 streamer coming in a few days... The Venus II is more than likely a bit of overkill, the reason I am back here watching this video again... What to do?
Great review .. you had mentioned that the review of the holo may dac compared to the Pontus 2 is that the holo may was more resolving do you think that the Venus 2 is as resolving as the May with also keeping the warm mid range?`
Thank you. It was the Holo Spring 3 L2 that I reviewed and compared to the Pontus 2. It would need to get it back in to compare to the Venus but I suspect the Venus combines the best traits of the Spring 3 and Pontus 2 😊
Funny thing that Denafrips have just lunched the 15th version of the Pontus which looks like it has taken a few components from the Venus II. Not sure if these will change the sound sufficiently in the direction of the Venus II or retain the slightly warmer fuller body of the Pontus II.
@@torus186 it is a shame the Denafrips seem to change a couple of components and announce a new model. This is not the way to look after existing customers and build a high end audio brand 😢
I’m not sold on this China direct gear. The cost to send these things back to China to get fixed is crazy high. And all those capacitors are not going to fair well over time. Having said that I wouldn’t mind listening to a Holo Spring 3, they look nicely built.
I would make sure you have an engineer who can service and repair them locally in markets where Denafrips don’t have a service agreement in place. It is worth doing because a DAC of this build and quality will probably cost you double through the traditional dealer/distributor route 😊
You should try the combination Pontus + Hermes DDC. The sound wins again significantly and my dealer recommended the combination Pontus + Hermes instead of the upgrade to Venus. Since then I no longer listen to records.
Thanks for a great review. For some time I've been trying to decide whether to get a Pontus II or to spend the extra money for the Venus II. I would like to get your opinion on whether my system is likely to be able to take advantage of the Venus II. My speakers are Audio Note AN-E/LX Signature (with external crossover networks). I have a tube pre-amp and 2 monoblock tube amps that were custom built for me by a high-end audio shop here in the USA. Given that they are custom built I know it's hard for you to evaluate the amps, but for what it's worth I paid $5K each for the monoblocks and a bit more than $6k for the preamp back in 2006 and I will say that analogue (via one of the better ClearAudio turntables) sounds fantastic. I'm mainly interested in streaming and right now I'm using a Bluesound Node (the most recent iteration of such) but I'm willing to upgrade to a better streamer (any recommendations?) if that is the weak link. What do you think - Pontus II or Venus II for my system? Thanks!
Thank you Steven. I would go for the Venus II although I doubt you will be disappointed with the Pontus II either. The difference will be even more noticeable if you upgrade the Node to a dedicated streaming transport like the Auralic Aries G1.1. My review is attached 👍 ruclips.net/video/A2ptgOR4kog/видео.html
Hello. Very good presentations of the products I have to say. There is a dac from T+A DAC200 that you can review and compare to denafrips dacs. I really want to know the differences. Thank you
Great review Tarun. I had seen (heard) a comparison between the Denafrips Terminator, Venus 2 and Ares 2. I liked Venus 2 the best. It was somehow very open and uplifting compared to the other 2. It is on the TheAlphaAudio channel. By the way, is your son for hire for breaking in audio equipment? ;)
Hi Taurun. Have you updated the firmware for your Venus.? I just updated to the 3.5 version released in July of this year by Vinshine audio and I really like it. The midrange feels a bit warmer/fleshier, but there is still plenty of detail and air. Overall, just a nicer, less fatiguing presentation. Interested to hear your reaction.
Was looking forward to this review! Thanks for all the info. I love your video's. I have a Pontus 2, Hegel H190 and Harbeth p3esr XD. I'm considering the Venus 2 because I find the Pontus 2 a little bit intens and bass heavy. I listnen in NOS. I have it for 6 months now. I liked the toe tapping at first but now I find it a little much. Is the Venus 2 a bit more relaxed and balanced? Or is this the Denafrips house sound? I didnt experience this with the ares 2. Might the Spring 3 be a better fit? Thanks in advance.
Thank you Bouke. I would experiment with speaker positioning. The Pontus II should not be imparting a bass heavy sound. It won’t be corrected by changing to the Venus II or the Holo Audio Spring 3 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the advice, Tarun! Unfortunately not a lot of placement options but Im going to experiment with better stands and EQ. And I'm ordering the Iris DDC. Because Im curious 😁
Thanks for all the reviews you are doing. If I may ask for your insight : The denafrips (Ares 2) can't be used with both the rca and XLR at the same time. I need this function. Any dac that comes a bit close to the Ares 2 sound, perhaps VMV D2r? i can get it for 750.
Great Review Tarun, as always. Thank you. After seeing your reviews of Pontus II, Spring 3 and now Venus II, I was wondering which one would be the best option to add to my Totem Sky Tower.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun. From all the rivews I've seen about the Denafrips and Holo Audio DACs, I got the idea that the Holo are more natural/neutral in comparison. Who made the direct comparison between Spring 3 and May says that May is better (obviously), but that Spring 3 is very close. When comparing May with Terminator Plus, the reviews end up preferring May because it is more natural/neutral than Terminator, which for those who are reviewing speakers or amplifiers, makes the job easier, since it does not introduce color to the sound. Without listening to any of them and just from what we read, the Spring 3 L2 would be the most rational option because it allows us to stay with an R2R DAC very close to the brand's top of the range, which outperforms the competition's top range by less than half the price. But as we know, the sound is the boss 😀
Tarum. Great review. It is worth it to change from Pontus 2- Iris combination to Venus 2 Dac? My system includes: Naim Supernait 3 integrated amp with Hicap DR, Proac’s D20R speakers and Auralic Aries LE streamer with Sbooster power supply. Witchhat phantom speaker cables and Chord interconects.
Great review and insight, thanks. My upgrades have been Pontus/Iris to Venus; and mac mini/zen stream to Lumin U2 Mini with SBooster, not to mention a great AES cable. I’m definitely in a better place now, but I do wonder now if my amp is worthy of my digital frontend, this being my SET EL34 integrated. It didn’t cost $5K or even half that, so am I getting all the glory I could? For now I’m content, but realize an amp upgrade is in my future.
Hello friend, wish you're doing all the best with your channel. As you love the Denafrips DACs consider their new firmware update. Although I haven't had the chance to fully test it, I'm already enjoying the new sound signature from the May 15 firmware update. In numerous threads and blogs, I complained about an artificial glare or sharpening my Pontus II had before (without any firmware update). I could not use the internal oversampling because the sharpening issue becomes worse in OS mode. In NOS mode very high frequencies above 16 KHz roll off, though it happens mathematically, not DAC's fault, but the artificial sharpness started at around 10 KHz, therefore NOS mode sounded weird to me. Rolled off highs, high pitched instruments had less space, still with a hardness at around 10 KHz. It was really frustrating. I have a pretty neutral to warm sounding speaker, the Elac Navis ARB 51 and with other DACs it sounded fine. Eventually I could not listen to songs recorded after the 90's. As songs before 90's had a little weak recording to begin with, they sounded fine. I was able to mitigate this issue somewhat by upsampling everything to 1,411.2 KHz using the HQPlayer and utilizing the NOS mode on the Pontus II DAC. This combination provided the best sound overall, but I still longed for a warmer tone. Post-update, I'm thrilled with the Pontus' sound signature: 1. Both OS and NOS modes deliver a balanced, neutral sound. 2. NOS mode is gentle with no harshness. 3. OS mode is outstanding, presenting a neutral, yet detailed sound. 4. The artificial sharpening above 10 KHz has disappeared. 5. I can now discard the HQPlayer upsampling and utilize the internal upsampling of Pontus II. I'm grateful for Vinshine Audio's attentiveness to feedback and commitment to improving the user experience, even with older purchases.
Really good review. I might have to upgrade to your Patreon reviews, will it be an upgrade? Will it be a noticeable uptick in quality reviews? I don't know. I might have to live with it for a few months to do an A/B test. 😎🆒
Thank you Charles. It certainly would be an upgrade in reviews 😂 i share more personal insight about products and behind the scenes stuff. Would love to see you there but not for reviews 😂
Great review. I'm in the middle of testing a LOT of DACs in my system. Currently I have a PS Audio DirectStream and as the newer model is out now, and the one I have has aged a lot. I've tested the Venus in my system and it sounds a lot better than the PS Audio DAC. Mind you, I am using I2S in my system. I was running a Auralic Aries to a Matrix Audio SPDIF-X 2 to convert USB to I2S. I now have the Gustard U18n and find it a tad better (and I was using a linear PSU with the SPDIF-X 2) Where to from here? I have the Gustard R26 on loan next week and then the Denafrips Terminator II. I am sure that will be the best of the lot. But we'll see. Here in Australia the new PS Audio DAC is $13K and a $3K trade in on my current DAC. I'll sell it privately.
I went through a similar journey and now do not have a discreet DAC at all (I had the Matrix Audio X Sabre Pro MQA and it was superb). I use my PC (self built) as a source with an MA Element H usb card with power provided internally by Titanium Seasonic PSU). MA usb cable into an MA SPDIF 2 (no need for the LPSU and on listening there was no real difference and yes I experimented with different voltages). Then Mogami 3080 AES Gold cable into a pair of active Adam Audio S3Vs that have a built in DSP. This has given me the best sound to -date. So I have ended up ditching the analogue signal for the monitors and I hear more detail than ever...less can be more.
Ryder Cup Polo shirt, nice one Tarun. Watch a lot of your videos and always learn something, keep up the good work. Just a quick question. I have a Roksan K3 CDi, Roksan K3 and Spendor A2’s. I find it hard to criticise my current system, and have had it for 5 years, just got an itch I have to scratch. I like my current sound, neutral, detailed, slightly warm. Not a fan of dry, lean, analytical sounds, which I find tiring. I am interested in a demo of the Exposure 2510 and XM CD player with my Spendors. Is this worth it, or is it diminishing returns? And lastly, would a 3510 make a significant difference? Thanks
Thank you Greg. I suspect the Exposure 2510 May it be a significant upgrade over the Roksan K3. The Exposure 3510 may be worth considering but it will change the balance of the sound that you currently enjoy so much. Only way to tell if it is worth it is to try it and see 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Many thanks, appreciate your advice. Will be auditioning the 2510. I understand where you’re coming from with the 3510, as I remember your review did highlight the differences in sound. I have heard that Exposure are releasing a full width CD player next year, worth a listen over the Roksan?
Hi Tarun. I asked Alvin from Vinshine Audio a quesion as to why he would suggest using a Denafrips DDC outputting I2S into a Denafrips Terminator II/Plus, when the Terminator has a better internal clock than the Iris. This is what he said: "Hi Joshua, it depends. For DENAFRIPS, all digital inputs are reclocked by the built-in crystals of the DAC. TII/TPlus may serve as as MCLK to output the clocks to sync with the DDC. The result would be interesting." So - it's news to me that all Denafrips DACS reclock the digital signal, even when it's in I2S format. Is this your understanding as well?? Thanks. Josh
My understanding is that they all have a FIFO (first-in, first-out) buffer and re clocking. I wasn’t certain that this was done on all inputs though. In any case, I suspect the benefit of running the signal through an external DDC first is that signal arrives at the DAC with reduced jitter and noise. The internal DAC circuitry doesn’t have to work so hard to clean things up and the sound improves as a consequence 😊
I recently have replaced the Denafrips Ares ii with the Daccord a design of Jan Meier, the Daccord sounds more natural to me. The mids are much better, more 3d.
Thanks Tarun, these Denafrips DACs look great. The Ares II is now £865 if bought from the authorised dealer in the UK, is that still worth the extra outlay over for instance the Schiit Bifrost 2 given that when it was originally available it was well under £800
Hi Tarun. I have been down the upgrade path with my system so many times that it makes my head spin just thinking about it! My biggest success is definitely my turntable. I started with a 2018 Rega Planar P3. This was great but I wanted to be different and unique'ish with my upgrades. I purchased a new aluminium subplatter and a Delrin platter for £380 then rebuilt the turntable onto a kit from SRM Tech which replaced the whole plinth assembly for a dual layer acrylic affair. This was about £330. Once built, I replaced the tone arm with an Origin Live Illustrius for £1920 and the Cartridge with a Lyra Delos at £1300. The phono stage is currently an ifi audio iphono 3 with iTube 2 at about £1400. Add to that a £300 outboard power supply and the results were stratospheric. Including the original P3 the total was about £6400. Yes I know this is a lot but it was done over time. This piece of kit sounds more natural and more hologrphically analog than other turntables costing significantly more. The great thing about my turntable is, ' I had a large part in making it sound this good' something I am very proud of and would not be able to say if I had just purchased a 6 grand or so item from the dealers. I posted a rather long waffle last week on your review of the r800i about tube upgrades. Since then, we have burnt in the 300b Black treasures. They are epic. They blow away the Electro Harmonix gold grids. This amp now is ready to take on all comers. It is truly a thing of sonic beauty. Vinyl through the 800i is a thing to behold. They say that the sound quality of vinyl does not reach its true potential which can be beyond that of digital until you have heard a proper high end turntable. I can attest to that and thanks to the 800i it is dripping with organic analog, holographic goodness.
I paid 5k usd on a DAC that did not work out, probably synergy. I ended up picking up a used pontus II for 1/5 of the prince I paid for the Ayon. I also tried a Benchmark. I heard great things about Benchmark but my bass nearly disappeared. I was afraid even after burn in, the DAC would be too lean. One of the tech’s from Benchmark wanted me to try to move some jumper cables to better match the impedance of the amplifier but in the end I decided to return it.
Good evening! Could you explain a bit the 6:16 part where you'll say later (6:37) "the more resistor you have, better resolution you can get"... Do you mean by that that 2 resistors of say 200 ohms in parallel perform better (higher resolution) than a single 100 ohm resistor, for example? Thank you very much.
In a R2R ladder DAC, the resistors have the same value and are matched to a very fine tolerance (0.005% in the Venus II). By using multiple resistor ladders, the output can be summed and averaged to lower noise. This in turn improves the resolution of the DAC 😊
Helpful review. Thanks. But I was taken back to the good old days when Linn argued that it made sense to spend good money on the source to begin sound quality at the top... since it was all downhill afterwards. Is that still a valid philosophy in the digital (and analogue) realm? I've been looking to refresh my ancient system and was looking for source components that would deliver the best that my CDs and SACDs can deliver. The Denafrips line seemed attractive and the Venus II -- in the middle of the line-up with more precise resisters etc. -- as an analogue (no pun intended) to a Sondek. (Yes, the transport's the trick but I'm planning to use a stopgap Sony SACD Blu-ray player to get the ball rolling) Thoughts?
Linn sold a lot of LP12s off the back of that approach. I am not saying it is not valid but I prefer to have all components in a system to a similar level of performance 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Gotcha. The point was that if you had to decide where to spend your money... It was a matter of where to spend it. Of course, if you had a legacy (and limiting) component that wasn't going to change... my old dad had a built-in set of speakers that were good for their time and weren't going anywhere that would tend to focus the weight of consideration differently.
Just subscribed your channel. I must comment reviewing some American channels they have absurd systems that obviously require a special room. Its reassuring your set up is in a family home. That said. Iam in a juncture of the road. My main source is CD...Naim CDS3 plus 555PS. Unfortunately I recently visited a small hifi show and listened to a streaming system with a Chord Dave DAC. I was blown away about the smoothness and detail that breathed without constraining or hard edge glare. I now feel that it may be time to review my source and have move to a CD transport and a good DAC, thus allowing me more flexibility in the future. Yet its going to take months of sourcing retail outlets and taking my beloved cd set up to them to do a true AB comparisons. Can you suggest another approach. I am not an impulse buyer by any stretch of the imagination. Apologies for the the long text, keep up the good work, your appraisals are incitive and balanced.😎👍🎵🎵
Thank you Peter. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for listening. I would do as much research as possible. Whittle it down to 3 options and try to demo all 3 😊
Really interesting to hear that your longterm test paid off! After purchasing my Terminator+ after owning the original Holo Audio Spring lvl 2: was I convinced having made the right choice? Initially I could hear ‘potential’ - it took months before it really came alive. Other upgrades have worked out - but usually costing twice as much or more each time : E.g. Dynaudio Contour 3.0 to ATC 50 active. My sideways step to surround with SACD was a wasted effort, but still convinced me that SACD was superior to CD in dense orchestral classical music.
@@morespinach9832massive improvement- different class. I liked the Contours: very well mannered, quite a good level of detail, natural. Used with TAG McLaren pre and power, followed by Musical Fidelity pre and power. The ATCs are a big step up with a level of authority and soundstage which is amazing.
@@wouterkolkman thought so. Thank you! Although at the price of ATC 50A I wonder how a subwoofer and amps with bigger grunt like Accuphase or Gryphon Diablo would have made the Contours sound.
Have you tried Octo Dac 8 Stereo? I can only find a few reviews but all exceptional. Stereophile rated it Class A and comparable to $15k MBL. My curiosity is peeked.
For me, sound is about the least possible changes through devices. A preamplifier should produce the same sound as you put into it. same with an amplifier! It's the end result that counts! You get better sound if you use a cheaper NAD amplifier on a good speaker than the opposite!
Excellent review as usual. Thanks. Now, knowing how unreliable auditory memory is, let me ask you: how do you compare, in general terms, the Venus to the Holo Spring 3? Or at least, which one do you prefer?
Thank you Giovanni. It is hard to make anything but a general comment without having both of them side by side to audition. I had the Pontus II as a common point of reference though. As mentioned in the review. The Spring 3 is more resolving than the Pontus II but doesn’t have it’s richness of tone. The Venus II is also more resolving than the Pontus II yet retains it’s richness of tone. I would deduce than the Venus II is better than the Spring 3 by that rationale 😊
![Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1F3OGIFnW1k/mqdefault.jpg)
As someone who has worked in the electronics industry for nearly 40 years I really appreciate your clear concise explanation of circuits which no other reviewers do (probably) because they might get lost (Hans Beekhuyzen excepted). Love the channel, keep up the good work.
Thank you my friend 👍
Chasing higher performance can be a slippery slope no matter how much you spend. Burn in time is critical and the impatient won’t be gleeful immediately. You warned them about it. That is more prevalent depending on the component manufacturer as well as what it is also, a preamp or dac for example. If you are comparing two speaker stands for example, it is necessary to seal the hollow tubes at the bases prior to filling and , depending on fastener size and thread, torquing all fasteners with a torque wrench is necessary to ensure uniform tension at the base plate. You’re guaranteed uniformity with the tube or tubes with the base plate. This is just like aircraft and missile assembly. Failure to address steps properly, will sacrifice your install and that will likely cause other issues including sealing issues with the base as well as mechanical coupling differences which interfere with energy transference . Some may question this or disagree. They’re wrong. It’s consistency that yields the reliable, repeatable results. It’s about the details people. Little things overlooked have the cost of failure or less than ideal results.
@@r423fplip, your question is not well defined. Try being more specific.
Tarun, a really well developed, planned, presented and informative review.
Many thanks
Thank you Ajay 😊👍
Tarun. Another great review. As someone considering a Denafrips DAC this review has been helpful. BTW I’ve been following your channel since its inception and thank you for what you are doing for the audiophile community worldwide. Greetings from Australia.
Thank you my friend. I appreciate the support 😊👍
This was your most meaningful review "to me" so far! I have a Pontus II and LOVE it 😍. So excited about "your" comparison of these two great DACs, as my system "may" be worthy of The Venus. (DynAudio Contour 20s, Schiit Freya+ w/NOS Tubes, McIntosh MC152 Solid State Power Amp). Tarun, your THOROUGH , precision, informative review has me firmly seated & staying where I am with a smile on my face😊! Sounds like a mildly incremental improvement for my system that would not justify the expenditure & changeout.. You have stopped The FOMO for this audiophile!!! THANKS! 👍🏼
Thank you Bob. That is very much appreciated 😊👍
I really enjoy how Tarun differentiates the classes by general price point and articulates the sonic characteristics of the devices. I can't understand how many 'audio reviewers' do not have the words to define what they hear. Sounds great! and 'sonic nirvana' are not precise terms. Well done Tarun! I believe you will continue to grow the channel and have great success.
Thank you Patrick. That is very kind 😊👍
This is exactly the kind of video I've been looking for. Thanks Tarun
Thank you buddy. Glad you enjoyed it 😊👍
Another spectacular review. After watching this and another where you said the Venus II was NOT going to be sent back, I wondered why I purchased the Pontus II and not the Venus II. I guess it would have been the 1,200-1,300 price difference. Not too terrible but I'm happy with my Pontus II.
The Pontus II is a great DAC. Money well spend IMHO 👍
Hi Tarun. Just ordered the Pontus 12th Anniversary. Keep posting great videos. As an educator, I truly appreciate how you visually walkthrough and breakdown your reviews. Cheers!
Thank you kindly Dan. Enjoy the new DAC 😊👍
Thanks for your work, my personal experience with upgrades is I have Ares II and one day decided based on Sandu review to get smsl vmv d2, dac of the year, warm sound amazing resolution.... and it didn't come close to Ares being doubled the price of Ares. I was thinking I will get best of both words ( R2r and Delta sigma ), maybe one day technology will rich this point but not in this case. I sold the Smsl stayed with Ares and now safely going for Pontus.
That's my expiriance with upgrading :))
Thank you for sharing Michal 😊
Just a couple random comments.
First, what a great hobby this is. Once again it took me an entire Beethoven symphony to fold my laundry. Kept stopping and listening.
And thank you Tarun. I realize how much effort your reviews require. While you have to listen critically, I can just enjoy the sound and music.
Thank you. It is a lot of work but fun 👍😊👍
Great review as always! Went from the Ares II and after a year and a half bought the Pontus II. Many have asked me if paying twice the price was worth it. And I put it this way; if the Ares II gets a rating of 100 for price relative to performance, I would give the Pontus II rating of 125-133 relative to the Ares II at 2x the cost. Was it worth paying double....absolutely!
Thank you buddy 👍
This was an awesome review! Wish I had both Dac's at the same time when I did my review, but it didn't work out that way. Glad to hear that the difference is noticeable once burn in was complete. 🍻
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Tarun, I just bought the Venus II after pondering a lot between it and the wonderful Pontus II. During this decision phase I was looking for a serious review comparing these devices and when I started watching your video I confess I was quite nervous but in the end I believe it was a good choice despite being sure that Pontus would already deliver me everything I need.
Congratulations on the work with the usual quality.
Hi Luciano, thank you. The Venus II is an excellent DAC. In a system resolving enough, it justifies the extra outlay over the Pontus II 😊
That’s how I felt when choosing my Venus 2 over the Pontus. Precious few reviews of the Venus 2. Different presentation too. All I can say is that the Venus 2 in my system impressed me so much that I felt the need to move onto the Terminator 2. Best of both worlds is what I’ve heard, given I love my Venus 2 in my system I’m curious to hear the next stage up.
It is nice to see when an upgrade model is really an upgrade and not just something different.
One of my biggest upgrade failures was to put a moving coil cartridge on a vintage Pioneer turntable. I could not get it to work. It had a hum that I could not get rid of. This happened many years ago but I am still weary of moving coil cartridges and I prefer high output cartridges in general because of the signal to noise ratio that is better.
Thank you for sharing Hugo 😊
Hi Hugo, I removed “run away brides” comment. The only person I permit to be criticised on my channel (within reason) is myself. Thank you once again for sharing your experiences and apologies for having to put up with someone else’s rudeness 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, thanks, it was a bit of a strange comment. I have a fairly thick skin so no harm done. Also, no need to apologize, you can not control these kind of reactions. Any way, I always enjoy your excellent reviews.
Another great review Tarun. And as always, your comparison of the gear under review is so useful. I'd go so far as to say that any review without comparison to known standards is merely advertising.
Thank you my friend. I agree 👍
Thank you Tarun for another great review and comparison.
Your impresions for the Pontus II Vs Gustard R26 comparison could be great too!
Cheers!
Thank you 👍
Thank you Tarun for another outstanding review. I just ordered the Venus II 12th from Alvin. Your review kicked me over the edge vs the Pontus II. When you crack these cases open and go over all of the bits, it was difficult to not purchase the Venus. There is something about the Denafrips sound, and after dropping two new dedicated 20 amp circuits to my AV setup, the sound is simply getting better and better... I also added one of Alvin's linear power supplies to my (N130) Node, which kicked that up a couple of levels... Alright, heading up to the bank to wire Alvin the funds. Thanks again Tarun!
Thank you Michael. Much appreciated. I hope you enjoy the Venus II as much as I do 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun, should be here next week. I will report back. ;-)
I can only say I'm pleased the new and younger audiophiles get to experience 3D holography and "musicality" from R2R DACs, same as I used to from analogue records and cassette and not that jarring, flat and "uninterested" Delta Sigma type sound, for that I am truly grateful.
Thank you for sharing John. Digital is getting there 😊
Great video. System matching is important. I contacted Alvin and gave him my system specs and he pointed me to the Pontus 2 12th. Thanks
Thank you 😊
Another great review Tarun. Thanks to your reviews I’ve now evolved my system to Sugden A21SE, Auralic Aries G1 with upgraded PSU, Denafrips Pontus II, Denafrips Hermes DDC, Proac Response D2R’s and Mogami w3104 speaker cables. Pretty much all from your reviews. The synergy is fantastic. Just need a pair of Target R1 stands now, keep your eyes open for me.
That is a lovely system Mr M. Thank you for letting me know. There is a Canadian company that has revived the name and seem to be reproducing the stands. Good luck 😊👍
www.targetaudioproducts.com/home.html
Cheers Tarun, what’s the prize? 🎉
Tarun is that you that says I’ve won something via telegram or a scam?
Hi Tarun, just had some guy impersonating you trying to contact me. I didn’t fall for it.
Excellent review and superb channel. It would be interesting to have you review the Gustard R26 r2r dac and get your opinion as to how it compares with the these Denafrips dacs.
Thank you. Much appreciated. That would be cool 😎👍
Tarun, thank you so much for your great review! This is one of the best reviews I have ever seen or read!
You took your time and got those two devices at the same time for a longer periode to dive into the differences in sound and character. In my opinion this can only be done with enough time, when out consciousness drifts away and our for this matter much more powerful unconsciousness gets the calm/quiet to listen.
I hope many people will join your channel, and prefer slow food over junk food, so that many distributors and brands will send you review units for a longer period!
My system is mainly DIY, on a quite high level. I upgraded a Schiit Yggdrasil with a Mola Mola Tambaqui, and to no surprise, it was better. Until now I haven't compared it to other DACs in this league, but I'll do. And as the honeymoon is over, I can be realistic and maybe even objective in my findings when I do.
Another area are cables, and I feel this is a minefield. I go slowly and enjoy the music on my way.
All the best and take care!
Matthias
Thank you kindly Matthias. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
Remarkably clear review and capable of technical insight. Fascinating comparisons were made between these two excellent DACs, which are different essentially in terms of component quality while the system architecture in each model remains similar. I’ve always been held with the NAIM philosophy - in the hifi chain, the source is the most important part of your hifi equipment because it gets all the musical information off to a great start, next is amplification, and finally speakers then connections. I would spend more money on the source than amplification and speakers because a modest amplifier connected to a superior source will outperform a setup with superior amplification and an inferior source. So the answer for all hifi is the source.
Thank you 👍
I have the Venus II and can confirm that it takes a very long time to properly run in. When HiFi Critic reviewed the Terminator +, Kevin Fiske observed that it needed around 800 hours of play before it truly came on song, and I suspect that's about right. Anyway, thanks for a well structured video review that confirms everything that I hear from my Venus II.
wow that's over a month of non stop running
@@fatdoi003 Yup. Seems ridiculous, but worth the wait.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Hugo. It is a ridiculously long run-in time. I agree, it is worth it😊
why manufacturers do the aging process?
500 hours to burn in my Venus 2. Really impressed with this dac so bit the bullet and have just ordered a Terminator 2 12th anniversary edition. Got at least another 500 hours of burn in to look forward to.
Another excellent review. I got the Pontus and apparently it's still breaking in but at least it sounds good now vs cold start. I notice there is room on the back for two RCA inputs. I wish there was an extra RCA input as the Ares has two RCA inputs. Using BNC to RcA adapters I've been able to hear sonic degradation. With an Audiolab 6000 CDT and the Bluesound Node both with a Single RCA outputs, I need two RCA inputs and ordered my Pontus that way. Luckily they are flexible enough to do that for me at no charge. Shipping was quick. Five days from China to the US west coast. Their US repair facility added the extra RCA and the service was quick and expertly done.
Thank you Jim. I think you will find that Pontus II will continue to improve over the coming months. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've gone upgrade crazy and added a Rogue hybrid RL5 preamp and a pair of Belles Aria monoblolcks. I was lucky as all upgrades have improved the sound, no back sliding. Even luckier, I've sold on all the formerly wonderful equipment. Next is the PD Creative LPS upgrade for the Node. As an habitual gear hound I am bound to look for other things to experiment with. I only wish I could find more music that I like. Some of the singers recommended by Tidal sound like a small animal being strangled. One thing I regret, I have heard good things about the Border Patrol DAC and they allow a two week audition, same price a the Pontus. I wish I'd given that a tryout before ordering the Pontus. Oh well. I can still do it, the only penalty being US return shipping if it doesn't stack up to the Pontus. What am I going to do if I like it better. Better do it after the Pontus is fully incubated.. The BP uses an odd tube that I've never seen before.
@@fletchermunson6225 If I may suggest: a Scandinavian vocalist called Beady Belle. Very well recorded and most of all, an interesting music, at least to me. I suggest listening chronologically as her style changes. Let me know if you like this type of music, please
@@wladers39 Thank You I have it liked on Tidal. Might be a while to get to it. Having issues. However, I will do it. You might like Temptations by Holley Cole. Sings Ton Waits songs.
Thanks Tarun, you gave me a heart attack. 🤣 Got my Venus II some months ago as an upgrade to the Ares II.
Anyway, kinda relieved now that you think the extra cash spent on the Venus II isn't all wasted.
Thank you buddy. Rest assured it is a great DAC. I was just being contentious 👍
Great work Tarun. Excellent video. Thank you Sir.
Thank you my friend 👍
Yes spot on Tarun, the Pontus 2 is excellent and musical. May I suggest getting the Iris DDC with I2S ( Jays Audio ) to pair with the Pontus 2 instead of getting the Venus 2. I’m using Kef LS50 metas with Rel T5X powered by Willsenton R800i with rolled tubes. Sounds pretty good in my smallish room.
Thank you Robert. I have the Iris. It improves the Pontus II but still not as to the level of the Venus II 😊
Good answer Tarun to this Robert Wang.
I have not listen to those one, i have the Ares 2 and thinking get Pontus 2, but Venus 2 bothers me...
Keep telling your audio taste or listening experience, even if it may displease or oppose what some people think or appreciate in audiophile terms@@abritishaudiophile7314
Your reviews are remarkable. Thank You!
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Wierdly I also had to email Alvin re the lacklustre sound I was getting from my Venus II and that was after two weeks of non stop streaming via Roon. I was worried I had wasted money! Perseverance was the answer from Alvin and oh was he so so right, and as you have also found. It took a month for the sound to start revealing itself, almost growing up - height, width depth clarity as well as slam and fleshing out the body and dynamics of natural sound. It now sounds so natural, voices are breathtakingly big and real and full of inflection. In all it took a few months and swear improvements still exist after a couple of years. I couldn’t stretch to the terminator at the time I bought the Venus I really wonder what that next unit is capable of. Are you going to be in a fortunate position of being able to test the terminator at all, I would eagerly await a review to your usual very high standards 😀
Thank you my friend. Very kind. I hope to review the Terminator II. I shall discuss it with Alvin 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 A Schwartznegger pun is a must for your Terminator II review 😊
Wonderful | Insightful review as always….., by all means please keep them coming young man.😊
Thank you my friend. Very kind 😊👍
Excellent side by side internal examination of both DAC's. The Pontus II will be a future acquisition. A recent upgrade from the Quad S-2 (GBP 599.99) to the Ophidian Mojo2 (GBP 1200.00) backfired. After 3 months of extensive A-B testing, the Quad S-2 are better in all regards except mid-bass dynamics.
Thank you buddy 👍
After your video I bought a Venus II (that came as a Venus II 12th Anniversary Edition by the way).
Must say: you were right.
Thank you. I am enjoying mine too 👍
@RvdH What did you upgrade from and was the Venus 2 all you expected it to be?
@@karstenchoydesigns
Before the Venus 2 I used the dac built-in my Mark Levinson No585. Which is not too shabby either.
The Venus (not completely broken-in yet) has more detail, is more musical to the analog side. Hard to describe. I chose the Venus to be in the middle of what Denafrips offers.
Ordering from Singapore was flawless, actually I ordered a Venus 2, but got a Venus 2 12th Anniversary Edition where some components in the PSU box are fine-tuned and the O-Core transformer is upsized from 60 to 80 VA.
Vinshine Audio is very helpful if you have questions. No idea what will happen long term, but the start is positive.
Thanks! This solves my doubts about Pontus and venus, the two have the same weight and size, but the price difference is so large
The Venus II is very different internally. Closer to the original Terminator 😊
I can’t stop staring at that gorgeous DALI speaker in the background.
Cool 😎
Thanks Tarun. The Venus is obviously worth considering.
I don't have a lot of stories about upgrading and partnering to share. But I will urge everyone who are buying second hand to be very careful about potential defects - those who are not experienced should get help. For instance, I have my eye on a second-hand Accuphase Class A power amp and I really want it. So much, in fact, that I am almost willing to assume it is without faults, as the seller claims.
Thank you. Good advice 😊
Tarun, your review made me want to give the Denafrips Ares II another few months of burn in. I bought the Denafrips Ares II and had it burn in for a 60 hrs or so when I first got it and to be honest, the sound was good after the burn in, a noticeable improvement from brand new out of the box. However, it wasn't noticeably better than the Topping D70s I had hooked up, which sounded very analogue already so into the closet it went for many months.
I'm taking it back out today to replace the D70s for a few months to see if it would continue to get better. I'm also pairing it with the Burson Funk powering the PSB Imagine Minis on my desktop setup and also the Hifiman HE6SE V2 which I recently acquired for under $500 brand new from an Adorama sale. I think the quality of the gear should be able to show the difference between the D70s and the Ares II in a few months.
That is great! Please let me know how you get on 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 It's been 3 weeks and this morning I got curious and decided to swap the Topping D70s back in. I listened to a few test tracks right before the swap and immediately I can already tell a compression in the sound stage width and depth.
Things just felt congested/closer together like it's too crowded when lots of instruments are playing. The Ares II gave much more breathing room between in the instruments. I don't know if this is because the Topping D70s needs to be warmed up but that's what I'll do today and report back.
@@t0nyxgq thank you for the update 👍
thanks for the review. it is reassuring that the burn in sound improvement I think to perceive in my system could actually be real ;o)
Thank you 😊
I would really like to see a review of Gustard R26. Some says that it's holy grail of R2R DACS. With price of 1700 EUR it's the best dac under 3500 EUR and in some ways even better than Denafrips Terminator Plus. (according to soundnews review on youtube)
I hope to get to it in time 😊
Gustard’s DACs, including their lower range like the X16 with built-in streamer, have never failed to deliver music that’s extremely pleasing to the ears - highs are extended, mids are full and bass is deep. What’s more, these DACs are built like a tank, ensuring many years of enjoyment.
I love the way you did the teardown. Id love to see more of these in future videos!
Thank you my friend 😊👍
I'm just amazed how companies like Denafrips and Audio-Gd can produce such kick-butt products built like tanks!
The chassis are impressive 😊
This price performance will only be possible in China!
I own an Ares II and I agree that it is a very good DAC. My main caveat with it though, is its slightly "soft" (less dynamic) bass, that lack some of the clarity and control that the Bifrost 2 has, for example. So, I have been looking for another DAC ... and I have found one, from an unexpected source: Geshelli Labs now has their JNOG2 aka J2 with an AK4493 chip. Long story short - with a third party 12V 4A linear power supply - the J2 AKM has replaced the Ares II in my main system. It is better bottom to top, in every way - *including* soundstage, instrument separation, bass and midrange dynamics, and detail retrieval.
I had been looking for an R2R like the Pontus II, or the Musician Pegasus, or the Ladder Schumann - but now I am no longer looking at a more expensive R2R DAC.
The Geshelli J2 AKM is my new reference DAC.
Thank you for sharing Neil 😊
where did you get your power supply?
Can you share the details on the power supply you added to the J2? I have a J2 on order and would like the upgraded PSU as well. Any links is appreciated.
@@matrix311 They are sold under several brand names, but the main one is BRZHiFi, and you want a 25W 12V linear power supply. They often have two options for the brand of toroidal transformer they use - the less expensive (by maybe $15-20) in Bingzi, and the better one is Talema. I don't think posting a link will fly, I am sorry to say.
Great review Tarun!
Thank you Ben 😊
Excellent review, as always.
I had the original NAD 3020 and Mission bookshelf loudspeakers, which I always enjoyed. I “upgraded” the amp to a Plinius integrated amp which was objectively better in all respects. But…I found the sound too cold and analytical. I never had the “emotional” connection that I did with the NAD.
Thank you David. I appreciate you sharing your experiences 😊
Great review Tarun. Both these DACS were on my shortlist but an almost-new Metrum Onyx NOS R2R DAC came up for the same price as the Pontus so I went for that and I'm very happy with it.
Thank you Ian. Glad you are enjoying you new DAC 👍
I have Metrum Adagio in my main system, upgraded from Onyx. Metrum DACs are excellent. No burn in needed.
The Pontus has several times been reviewed to be the warmer more full bodied of the two. Just to confirm that this was not your impression (after full burn in)? Also great review as ever 😊
Thank you. Once the Venus II is fully burnt in it not tonally cooler than the Pontus II 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks buddy! 😊
Very informative comparison. Well done and thanks!
Thank you Tom 👍
Ty. Have a dac in my h90. It took a time before I used it with hi res audio(tidal) use a topping d50 to my tube amp. But mostly bt in my bedroom. But I had a cable,a silver one bought by meters,no connection. A pretty cheap upgrade. Borrowed a 150£ cable and it became muffled and worse I thought. Build a supra cable and yes, I lost a little top end but gained grip and texture in the bass. Warmer midrange but didn’t loose resolution in the details. Mabye I will test other cables in the future.
Thank you for sharing Daniel 😊
Oh my friend, my audiophile journey hasn't been all that long. And it's more about headphones. I originally had a Nokia x2-00 and on-ear headphones with a 3cm driver for $1.5. Oh nokia gave such a dense and dynamic sound! But I tore these headphones, I tried to get drunk, but not enough for a long time. I just got high on this sound. But when I changed phone to my first Chinese phone I compared its sound with my Nokia Nokia had much better sound. But then 3 years later I bought myself a Leeco le max 2 and bluetooth on-ear headphones for $20. Oh, they sounded terrible, but after half a year I tried the equalizer built into this phone and lo and behold, I tweaked the settings and it was a shock, I was just not happy with myself. Such a sound, and such a chic quality of voice calls! But one day I fell asleep on the bottom and the mount cracked and problems began with the convenience of wearing. I had B. W px (failed mid) and Tecniks za60 (too cutting selfies). But no high-end headphones can compare with those Chinese. And the main thing is my Leeco le max 2 source. I had a Meizu 16 phone and then I realized what a gorgeous sound Leeco le max 2 has. And most importantly, I realized that the magic was in this phone, firstly there is a sound technology that gives gorgeous sound. And his equalizer, he changed the sound of the headphones without distortion! Unfortunately, in order to make the sound of PX and za60 adequate, you have to edit their tone through the AIMP application on android. Yes, high-end ear muffs give more separation of layers and details. But if you, by ear, are able to set the perfect tonality, for you it is more important than any details and layers! And of course, the source, especially in headphones, is even more important than the extraction device itself!
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Brilliant sincere review.
Thanks.
Thank you Peter 😊
I too caught the Denafrips bug started with Pontus, then Venus, then Terminator.
All serve a purpose as a great DAC under each budget range.
From my experience, Pontus II is the sweet spot.
But the Terminator II blows the other 2 away.
I wish I had the budget for Terminator Plus, but my gut feeling is that it will sound very close to Terminator II since specs and parts are very similar.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Thx for the excellent review. Good info.
Thank you 😊
Great comparison Tarun. Would love to hear your thoughts on the Aqua range of DACs, La Voce and La Scala vs Denfrips.
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
I went with an Ares2 on my headphone desktop system and I love it. It's plugged into a BIC-500 balanced transformer.
Thx for sharing 😊
I'm also in favour of a review of the Gustard R26. Would be nice to have your opinion 👍
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
Great review as usual
Thank you 😊
TARUN , IMHHO I BELIEVE MY KIT IS RESOLVING ENOUGH …but my budget isn’t 😢and never mind the WAF 😅💚💚💚😊
Understood, we all have to draw the line somewhere 😊
Another cool video thanks. I always learn something watching your videos and I have gained a better understanding of the insides of equipment over the past few years.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Interesting opening comments. I recently bought an Ares II and Iris DDC to replace a Metrum Acoustics Musette in my headphone system. Out of the box it sounded bloody awful. I've had it running Roon 24/7 for the last few weeks and while the musicality has improved, the clarity and detail I experience with Metrum Acoustics DACs just isn't there.
I'm now trying to decide whether to go Pontus II with Hermes DDC, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM or completely empty the coffers and go Metrum Acoustics Pavane. I'd be far more confident to try the Pontus if Denafrips had a return policy; I really don't want to get stuck with a DAC that doesn't suit me.
Thanks for the upload!
Thank you for sharing John. It may be best to stick with things you can audition in your case 👍
John. I own the Pontus II with Hermes. I really like the combo. The Pontus is a high quality that brings feel and substance to the music.... When I added the Hermes the clarity and air improved by a significant factor. I personally felt a Hermes + Pontus II would equal or better a.venus but I never the latter. In summary: I think you should go for Pontus II + Hermes especially if you have an avg streamer. Hermes may not improve your input as much if your streamer is top notch, sending a lower jitter sig via i2s. If you don't have...do it. A great combo and surprised me how much a ddc helped my chain.
@@super12892 Really useful commentary. I appreciate it. Thanks.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Just reporting back a month further on. The Ares II has really improved. I'll be honest, I never believed in burn in until now. It's a completely different DAC now and sounds excellent feeding my new Linear Tube Audio MZ3 headphone amplifier. Of course we always look to make the sound better :)
Am now considering Pontus II + Hermes, or Venus II on it's own (initially at least). I shall let you know how I get on. All the best.
@@johnratcliffe6438 that is great. Thank you for the update. I find that Denafrips products need the longest burning times 👍
I just got my ares 2 over a week ago and am quite disappointed with it. Honestly just feel it’s quite boring and very little standing out as great. But, it’s good to hear from others how long these really need to sound just right. Happy to hear you gave the Venus the time 😉
I feel the same about the Mojo 2.
I had the Ares 2 and sold it., Truthfully it wasnt much of an improvement over the onboard DAC of my Bluesound NODE, and in some music I actually preferred the NODE because of its better mids and bass. My system is VERY Mid-fi with the NODE> Rotel A14 mk2>Elac Ubr62/Focal Clears. I think Id have to upgrade my system to actually detect a big enough difference to make it worth it. I dont think these standalone DACs start shining until you hit around 5k in gear.
@@drewpknutz1410 you could be right but I think it comes down more to system matching. I have Harbeth p3esr xd and Audiolab 8300a which are 6k total in Canada. The softness of the dac just doesn’t shine well with the softness of the speakers. But again, I think it needs more time to open up that realism everyone talks about in reviews.
@@robk5745 Yeah, you have a much better setup than I do, I see an upgrade to a Pontus 2 (or other) in your future..LOL,!
@@drewpknutz1410 lol gotta spend the $$$ haha
very informative as usual. Pontus sounds like ideal for my set up now. Tarun is right about DS dacs which can be quite "sterile" on some recordings.
Moving from a benchmark DAC 2 to the Pontus I found the Pontus 2 sounded a lot more musical
Thank you Todd 😊
Mr. Tarun, how would you quantify benefits of going from Aries II to Pontus II vs Pontus II to Venus II ?
BTW outstanding review, as always.
Live Long and Prosper!😊
Thank you. Each step gives you greater clarity, refinement and scale 😊
I've sold my $800-$1200 DACs recently, because the technical wizardry lost its appeal. Not to say they sounded bad (I liked them quite a bit), but I found after a few months, they were kind of lifeless compared to my waaay less expensive Cayin RU6 and Gishelli J2 AKM. Even though the more expensive DACs sounded larger and more detailed. Personal preference, for sure. I liken it to dating an amazing, exciting 25 year old person, or a more refined, calmer 35 year old. I could see the appeal of both.
quite interesting observation you have here. I recently ordered a Gishelli J2 AKM (they have that chip again) - for a secondary system - it did not arrive yet. But there is no stopping me slotting it into my main system - will be a very interesting experiment.
@@alphaniner3770 I also have a Geshelli J2 AKM on order, still about 2 weeks out they said and the recent hurricane Ian also put a slow down to things. I saw another comment on cheapaudioman that guy owns the Geshelli J2 AKM and the Pontus II and he said he can hardly hear any difference if at all between the two of them. Doing multiple A/B tests and the Geshelli is right up there with the Pontus. I dont know what his system consists of, maybe he doesnt have a revealing enough system to differentiate between the two DACs. Either way I just ordered the Pontus II and that will arrive next week for my main listening station and I bought the Geshelli J2 AKM for my secondary system. I look forward to doing some A/B between the two on my main system to see how they compare. I've heard nothing but 100% excellent things from the Geshelli J2 AKM DAC.
@@alphaniner3770 The first thing I noticed about the J2, was the tone. It has zero graininess compared to my more expensive DACs. It was a less wide soundstage (not terrible, just less wide), though, so I initially switched back to my other DACs. But something kept telling me to listen again after a week or so, and in the end, the tone won me over.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I replaced my Ares II with the RU6, yes it is that good. Now, trying to decide, Venus II or Pontus II... I already have an Iris, and a Mercury V2 streamer coming in a few days... The Venus II is more than likely a bit of overkill, the reason I am back here watching this video again... What to do?
Great review .. you had mentioned that the review of the holo may dac compared to the Pontus 2 is that the holo may was more resolving do you think that the Venus 2 is as resolving as the May with also keeping the warm mid range?`
Thank you. It was the Holo Spring 3 L2 that I reviewed and compared to the Pontus 2. It would need to get it back in to compare to the Venus but I suspect the Venus combines the best traits of the Spring 3 and Pontus 2 😊
Funny thing that Denafrips have just lunched the 15th version of the Pontus which looks like it has taken a few components from the Venus II. Not sure if these will change the sound sufficiently in the direction of the Venus II or retain the slightly warmer fuller body of the Pontus II.
@@torus186 it is a shame the Denafrips seem to change a couple of components and announce a new model. This is not the way to look after existing customers and build a high end audio brand 😢
Can't wait for the Terminator II review :)
I hope to do that. I shall discuss with Alvin 😊
I’m not sold on this China direct gear. The cost to send these things back to China to get fixed is crazy high. And all those capacitors are not going to fair well over time. Having said that I wouldn’t mind listening to a Holo Spring 3, they look nicely built.
I would make sure you have an engineer who can service and repair them locally in markets where Denafrips don’t have a service agreement in place. It is worth doing because a DAC of this build and quality will probably cost you double through the traditional dealer/distributor route 😊
You should try the combination Pontus + Hermes DDC. The sound wins again significantly and my dealer recommended the combination Pontus + Hermes instead of the upgrade to Venus. Since then I no longer listen to records.
That’s the same combo Alvin has sitting on his desk at Vinshine. I wonder why?🤔😂
I have the Iris DDC which improves the performance of the Pontus II but not quite to the level of the Venus II. I have reviewed the Iris DDC 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 The Hermes has a much better clock than Venus II. It's an obvious next step.
Thanks for a great review. For some time I've been trying to decide whether to get a Pontus II or to spend the extra money for the Venus II. I would like to get your opinion on whether my system is likely to be able to take advantage of the Venus II. My speakers are Audio Note AN-E/LX Signature (with external crossover networks). I have a tube pre-amp and 2 monoblock tube amps that were custom built for me by a high-end audio shop here in the USA. Given that they are custom built I know it's hard for you to evaluate the amps, but for what it's worth I paid $5K each for the monoblocks and a bit more than $6k for the preamp back in 2006 and I will say that analogue (via one of the better ClearAudio turntables) sounds fantastic. I'm mainly interested in streaming and right now I'm using a Bluesound Node (the most recent iteration of such) but I'm willing to upgrade to a better streamer (any recommendations?) if that is the weak link. What do you think - Pontus II or Venus II for my system? Thanks!
Thank you Steven. I would go for the Venus II although I doubt you will be disappointed with the Pontus II either. The difference will be even more noticeable if you upgrade the Node to a dedicated streaming transport like the Auralic Aries G1.1. My review is attached 👍
ruclips.net/video/A2ptgOR4kog/видео.html
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks so much!
Hello. Very good presentations of the products I have to say. There is a dac from T+A DAC200 that you can review and compare to denafrips dacs. I really want to know the differences. Thank you
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
Another amazing episode of new stuff im learning... on a 1 to 10 scale where is the dacmagic 200m to a venus 2 my monitor system is flat 12hrz - 16k
Thank you Rick. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard the new Dacmagic 200 😊
Great review Tarun. I had seen (heard) a comparison between the Denafrips Terminator, Venus 2 and Ares 2. I liked Venus 2 the best. It was somehow very open and uplifting compared to the other 2. It is on the TheAlphaAudio channel. By the way, is your son for hire for breaking in audio equipment? ;)
Thank you for sharing 😊
Hi Taurun. Have you updated the firmware for your Venus.? I just updated to the 3.5 version released in July of this year by Vinshine audio and I really like it. The midrange feels a bit warmer/fleshier, but there is still plenty of detail and air. Overall, just a nicer, less fatiguing presentation. Interested to hear your reaction.
Was looking forward to this review! Thanks for all the info. I love your video's.
I have a Pontus 2, Hegel H190 and Harbeth p3esr XD. I'm considering the Venus 2 because I find the Pontus 2 a little bit intens and bass heavy. I listnen in NOS. I have it for 6 months now. I liked the toe tapping at first but now I find it a little much.
Is the Venus 2 a bit more relaxed and balanced? Or is this the Denafrips house sound? I didnt experience this with the ares 2. Might the Spring 3 be a better fit? Thanks in advance.
Thank you Bouke. I would experiment with speaker positioning. The Pontus II should not be imparting a bass heavy sound. It won’t be corrected by changing to the Venus II or the Holo Audio Spring 3 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the advice, Tarun! Unfortunately not a lot of placement options but Im going to experiment with better stands and EQ. And I'm ordering the Iris DDC. Because Im curious 😁
Thanks for all the reviews you are doing. If I may ask for your insight : The denafrips (Ares 2) can't be used with both the rca and XLR at the same time. I need this function. Any dac that comes a bit close to the Ares 2 sound, perhaps VMV D2r? i can get it for 750.
@@ThePupil you can’t use both XLR and RCA at the same time with the Ares. You can with the Gustard R26 😊
Great review , I wonder which IEM or headphone amplifier can I stack the VENUS 2 with ?
Thank you. Headphones are bit outside my remit but choose something quiet, that can maintain the Venus II’s timbre and spatiality 😊
Great Review Tarun, as always. Thank you. After seeing your reviews of Pontus II, Spring 3 and now Venus II, I was wondering which one would be the best option to add to my Totem Sky Tower.
I can’t say without hearing the Towers. All great DACs 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun. From all the rivews I've seen about the Denafrips and Holo Audio DACs, I got the idea that the Holo are more natural/neutral in comparison. Who made the direct comparison between Spring 3 and May says that May is better (obviously), but that Spring 3 is very close. When comparing May with Terminator Plus, the reviews end up preferring May because it is more natural/neutral than Terminator, which for those who are reviewing speakers or amplifiers, makes the job easier, since it does not introduce color to the sound. Without listening to any of them and just from what we read, the Spring 3 L2 would be the most rational option because it allows us to stay with an R2R DAC very close to the brand's top of the range, which outperforms the competition's top range by less than half the price. But as we know, the sound is the boss 😀
Tarum. Great review. It is worth it to change from Pontus 2- Iris combination to Venus 2 Dac? My system includes: Naim Supernait 3 integrated amp with Hicap DR, Proac’s D20R speakers and Auralic Aries LE streamer with Sbooster power supply. Witchhat phantom speaker cables and Chord interconects.
Cool 😎 thank you for letting me know 😊
Great review and insight, thanks. My upgrades have been Pontus/Iris to Venus; and mac mini/zen stream to Lumin U2 Mini with SBooster, not to mention a great AES cable. I’m definitely in a better place now, but I do wonder now if my amp is worthy of my digital frontend, this being my SET EL34 integrated. It didn’t cost $5K or even half that, so am I getting all the glory I could? For now I’m content, but realize an amp upgrade is in my future.
Thank you. I enjoyed learning about your experiences 😊
Hello friend, wish you're doing all the best with your channel. As you love the Denafrips DACs consider their new firmware update. Although I haven't had the chance to fully test it, I'm already enjoying the new sound signature from the May 15 firmware update.
In numerous threads and blogs, I complained about an artificial glare or sharpening my Pontus II had before (without any firmware update). I could not use the internal oversampling because the sharpening issue becomes worse in OS mode.
In NOS mode very high frequencies above 16 KHz roll off, though it happens mathematically, not DAC's fault, but the artificial sharpness started at around 10 KHz, therefore NOS mode sounded weird to me. Rolled off highs, high pitched instruments had less space, still with a hardness at around 10 KHz. It was really frustrating.
I have a pretty neutral to warm sounding speaker, the Elac Navis ARB 51 and with other DACs it sounded fine. Eventually I could not listen to songs recorded after the 90's. As songs before 90's had a little weak recording to begin with, they sounded fine.
I was able to mitigate this issue somewhat by upsampling everything to 1,411.2 KHz using the HQPlayer and utilizing the NOS mode on the Pontus II DAC. This combination provided the best sound overall, but I still longed for a warmer tone.
Post-update, I'm thrilled with the Pontus' sound signature:
1. Both OS and NOS modes deliver a balanced, neutral sound.
2. NOS mode is gentle with no harshness.
3. OS mode is outstanding, presenting a neutral, yet detailed sound.
4. The artificial sharpening above 10 KHz has disappeared.
5. I can now discard the HQPlayer upsampling and utilize the internal upsampling of Pontus II.
I'm grateful for Vinshine Audio's attentiveness to feedback and commitment to improving the user experience, even with older purchases.
Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Really good review. I might have to upgrade to your Patreon reviews, will it be an upgrade? Will it be a noticeable uptick in quality reviews? I don't know. I might have to live with it for a few months to do an A/B test. 😎🆒
Thank you Charles. It certainly would be an upgrade in reviews 😂 i share more personal insight about products and behind the scenes stuff. Would love to see you there but not for reviews 😂
Great review. I'm in the middle of testing a LOT of DACs in my system. Currently I have a PS Audio DirectStream and as the newer model is out now, and the one I have has aged a lot. I've tested the Venus in my system and it sounds a lot better than the PS Audio DAC. Mind you, I am using I2S in my system. I was running a Auralic Aries to a Matrix Audio SPDIF-X 2 to convert USB to I2S. I now have the Gustard U18n and find it a tad better (and I was using a linear PSU with the SPDIF-X 2)
Where to from here? I have the Gustard R26 on loan next week and then the Denafrips Terminator II. I am sure that will be the best of the lot. But we'll see. Here in Australia the new PS Audio DAC is $13K and a $3K trade in on my current DAC. I'll sell it privately.
I went through a similar journey and now do not have a discreet DAC at all (I had the Matrix Audio X Sabre Pro MQA and it was superb). I use my PC (self built) as a source with an MA Element H usb card with power provided internally by Titanium Seasonic PSU). MA usb cable into an MA SPDIF 2 (no need for the LPSU and on listening there was no real difference and yes I experimented with different voltages). Then Mogami 3080 AES Gold cable into a pair of active Adam Audio S3Vs that have a built in DSP. This has given me the best sound to -date. So I have ended up ditching the analogue signal for the monitors and I hear more detail than ever...less can be more.
Thanks Steve 😊
Would you say that using USB to I2S converters made a change for the better in all cases?
@@medonk12rs yes, I would. The Matrix Audio one is the best that I've tried
Great review does the Venus 2 offer a more resolving top end then the Pontus 2 that’s it on the same level as the holo May spring?
Ryder Cup Polo shirt, nice one Tarun. Watch a lot of your videos and always learn something, keep up the good work. Just a quick question. I have a Roksan K3 CDi, Roksan K3 and Spendor A2’s. I find it hard to criticise my current system, and have had it for 5 years, just got an itch I have to scratch. I like my current sound, neutral, detailed, slightly warm. Not a fan of dry, lean, analytical sounds, which I find tiring. I am interested in a demo of the Exposure 2510 and XM CD player with my Spendors. Is this worth it, or is it diminishing returns? And lastly, would a 3510 make a significant difference? Thanks
Thank you Greg. I suspect the Exposure 2510 May it be a significant upgrade over the Roksan K3. The Exposure 3510 may be worth considering but it will change the balance of the sound that you currently enjoy so much. Only way to tell if it is worth it is to try it and see 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Many thanks, appreciate your advice. Will be auditioning the 2510. I understand where you’re coming from with the 3510, as I remember your review did highlight the differences in sound. I have heard that Exposure are releasing a full width CD player next year, worth a listen over the Roksan?
Hi Tarun. I asked Alvin from Vinshine Audio a quesion as to why he would suggest using a Denafrips DDC outputting I2S into a Denafrips Terminator II/Plus, when the Terminator has a better internal clock than the Iris. This is what he said: "Hi Joshua, it depends. For DENAFRIPS, all digital inputs are reclocked by the built-in crystals of the DAC. TII/TPlus may serve as as MCLK to output the clocks to sync with the DDC. The result would be interesting." So - it's news to me that all Denafrips DACS reclock the digital signal, even when it's in I2S format. Is this your understanding as well?? Thanks. Josh
My understanding is that they all have a FIFO (first-in, first-out) buffer and re clocking. I wasn’t certain that this was done on all inputs though. In any case, I suspect the benefit of running the signal through an external DDC first is that signal arrives at the DAC with reduced jitter and noise. The internal DAC circuitry doesn’t have to work so hard to clean things up and the sound improves as a consequence 😊
I recently have replaced the Denafrips Ares ii with the Daccord a design of Jan Meier, the Daccord sounds more natural to me. The mids are much better, more 3d.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks Tarun, these Denafrips DACs look great. The Ares II is now £865 if bought from the authorised dealer in the UK, is that still worth the extra outlay over for instance the Schiit Bifrost 2 given that when it was originally available it was well under £800
Thank you. The Ares II is still great value at that price 😊
Just order direct from Vinshine. Mine arrived after 4 days.
Hi Tarun. I have been down the upgrade path with my system so many times that it makes my head spin just thinking about it! My biggest success is definitely my turntable. I started with a 2018 Rega Planar P3. This was great but I wanted to be different and unique'ish with my upgrades. I purchased a new aluminium subplatter and a Delrin platter for £380 then rebuilt the turntable onto a kit from SRM Tech which replaced the whole plinth assembly for a dual layer acrylic affair. This was about £330. Once built, I replaced the tone arm with an Origin Live Illustrius for £1920 and the Cartridge with a Lyra Delos at £1300. The phono stage is currently an ifi audio iphono 3 with iTube 2 at about £1400. Add to that a £300 outboard power supply and the results were stratospheric. Including the original P3 the total was about £6400. Yes I know this is a lot but it was done over time. This piece of kit sounds more natural and more hologrphically analog than other turntables costing significantly more. The great thing about my turntable is, ' I had a large part in making it sound this good' something I am very proud of and would not be able to say if I had just purchased a 6 grand or so item from the dealers. I posted a rather long waffle last week on your review of the r800i about tube upgrades. Since then, we have burnt in the 300b Black treasures. They are epic. They blow away the Electro Harmonix gold grids. This amp now is ready to take on all comers. It is truly a thing of sonic beauty. Vinyl through the 800i is a thing to behold. They say that the sound quality of vinyl does not reach its true potential which can be beyond that of digital until you have heard a proper high end turntable. I can attest to that and thanks to the 800i it is dripping with organic analog, holographic goodness.
You are a typical audiophile…never happy with what they have and always upgrades
Pathetic…
Great to learn about your experiences. Thank you 😊
I paid 5k usd on a DAC that did not work out, probably synergy. I ended up picking up a used pontus II for 1/5 of the prince I paid for the Ayon. I also tried a Benchmark. I heard great things about Benchmark but my bass nearly disappeared. I was afraid even after burn in, the DAC would be too lean. One of the tech’s from Benchmark wanted me to try to move some jumper cables to better match the impedance of the amplifier but in the end I decided to return it.
@@jeremyaguilar3805 thx for sharing your experience 😊
Good evening! Could you explain a bit the 6:16 part where you'll say later (6:37) "the more resistor you have, better resolution you can get"...
Do you mean by that that 2 resistors of say 200 ohms in parallel perform better (higher resolution) than a single 100 ohm resistor, for example? Thank you very much.
In a R2R ladder DAC, the resistors have the same value and are matched to a very fine tolerance (0.005% in the Venus II). By using multiple resistor ladders, the output can be summed and averaged to lower noise. This in turn improves the resolution of the DAC 😊
An FPGA firmware update is now being rolled out by Vinshine for the Ares 2. Other DAC's to follow.
Indeed. I am waiting for the Venus II update to be released 😊
Helpful review. Thanks.
But I was taken back to the good old days when Linn argued that it made sense to spend good money on the source to begin sound quality at the top... since it was all downhill afterwards. Is that still a valid philosophy in the digital (and analogue) realm?
I've been looking to refresh my ancient system and was looking for source components that would deliver the best that my CDs and SACDs can deliver. The Denafrips line seemed attractive and the Venus II -- in the middle of the line-up with more precise resisters etc. -- as an analogue (no pun intended) to a Sondek. (Yes, the transport's the trick but I'm planning to use a stopgap Sony SACD Blu-ray player to get the ball rolling)
Thoughts?
Linn sold a lot of LP12s off the back of that approach. I am not saying it is not valid but I prefer to have all components in a system to a similar level of performance 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Gotcha.
The point was that if you had to decide where to spend your money...
It was a matter of where to spend it.
Of course, if you had a legacy (and limiting) component that wasn't going to change... my old dad had a built-in set of speakers that were good for their time and weren't going anywhere that would tend to focus the weight of consideration differently.
Just subscribed your channel. I must comment reviewing some American channels they have absurd systems that obviously require a special room. Its reassuring your set up is in a family home. That said. Iam in a juncture of the road. My main source is CD...Naim CDS3 plus 555PS. Unfortunately I recently visited a small hifi show and listened to a streaming system with a Chord Dave DAC. I was blown away about the smoothness and detail that breathed without constraining or hard edge glare. I now feel that it may be time to review my source and have move to a CD transport and a good DAC, thus allowing me more flexibility in the future. Yet its going to take months of sourcing retail outlets and taking my beloved cd set up to them to do a true AB comparisons. Can you suggest another approach. I am not an impulse buyer by any stretch of the imagination. Apologies for the the long text, keep up the good work, your appraisals are incitive and balanced.😎👍🎵🎵
Thank you Peter. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for listening. I would do as much research as possible. Whittle it down to 3 options and try to demo all 3 😊
Hi Tarun. I have the Hegel h390 running Proac response d2r's. So Venus ll or Pontus ll. Many thanks.
Cool 😎
Really interesting to hear that your longterm test paid off! After purchasing my Terminator+ after owning the original Holo Audio Spring lvl 2: was I convinced having made the right choice? Initially I could hear ‘potential’ - it took months before it really came alive. Other upgrades have worked out - but usually costing twice as much or more each time : E.g. Dynaudio Contour 3.0 to ATC 50 active. My sideways step to surround with SACD was a wasted effort, but still convinced me that SACD was superior to CD in dense orchestral classical music.
Great to learn about your experiences 😊
ATC 50A is audibly better than Dynaudio Contours? Which amp did you use with the Dyns?
@@morespinach9832massive improvement- different class. I liked the Contours: very well mannered, quite a good level of detail, natural. Used with TAG McLaren pre and power, followed by Musical Fidelity pre and power. The ATCs are a big step up with a level of authority and soundstage which is amazing.
@@wouterkolkman thought so. Thank you! Although at the price of ATC 50A I wonder how a subwoofer and amps with bigger grunt like Accuphase or Gryphon Diablo would have made the Contours sound.
I love the brand name 'Denafrips.' Say it.... 'Denn a fripps.' The way it sounds. 'Denapfrips.'
Cool 😎
Positive Phase = light off, according to Alvin. The manual is somewhat vague.
Have you tried Octo Dac 8 Stereo? I can only find a few reviews but all exceptional. Stereophile rated it Class A and comparable to $15k MBL. My curiosity is peeked.
I appreciate the heads up 😊
For me, sound is about the least possible changes through devices.
A preamplifier should produce the same sound as you put into it. same with an amplifier!
It's the end result that counts!
You get better sound if you use a cheaper NAD amplifier on a good speaker than the opposite!
Thank you for sharing 😊
Excellent review as usual. Thanks. Now, knowing how unreliable auditory memory is, let me ask you: how do you compare, in general terms, the Venus to the Holo Spring 3? Or at least, which one do you prefer?
Thank you Giovanni. It is hard to make anything but a general comment without having both of them side by side to audition. I had the Pontus II as a common point of reference though. As mentioned in the review. The Spring 3 is more resolving than the Pontus II but doesn’t have it’s richness of tone. The Venus II is also more resolving than the Pontus II yet retains it’s richness of tone. I would deduce than the Venus II is better than the Spring 3 by that rationale 😊
Nice deduction. I appreciate it. Thanks!