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@pt265 Dude, the first time i decided to plug my phone into my focusrite dac and see if it worked (it did), then ran that through my tube preamp into some pretty fucking sweet 12" monitors i built up. I about had a panick attack. I never even thought to just plug my phone into my dac until i was about to purchase a streamer and thought maybe i better check. I didn't purchase a streamer. Im a rare android/apple music user, so i have the benefit of being able to plug right into a type c port with no annoying dongles or adapters. I perceive ZERO electrical switching noise from the phone either doing this. And there's just something MAGIC about running a DAC made for mixing and mastering into a tube amp to tasty it up for music listening. The mixing dac tube amp combo is genuinely a match made in imaging heaven. I was even happier to find out like nearly half my library was 24bit 48 or 96khz when i looked too. One trippy hippie group i listen to had an ep up in 196khz, and they know what theyre doing, it's every bit as surreal as the best dsd i've heard too, basically perfection in sound to me, even on my 2 channel, close my eye's and im there. everything i listen to sounding basically perfect, right under my nose and i was already paying for the service and had all the equipment i needed. Now to reorganize my priorities, a corvette sounds a bit nicer then a 04 taurus on it's last leg. (I probably have the best sound you've ever heard come from a dying turd though)
I also have two Audiolab DC Blockers before the Pontus and before my integrated SET amp (directly into dedicated line in wall). It just sounds better with blockers in place.
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Great info. I recently got the Denafrips Hermes and Pontus 2, and the DDC has made a nice improvement in every DAC that I've tried with it, especially when using the i2s connection. Thanks Tarun!
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This is the best explanation yet for the reason for a DDC, or for a really good transport, to reduce jitter and noise to the DAC. Your knowledge, delivery of these videos continue to raise and set the bar. Thank you.
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@@13thnotehifireviews7 I don't believe that Tarun is saying that a DDC is a slam dunk. But he brings about an explanation of why a DDC could be valuable in a system. As you have mentioned, results may vary, and in some cases DAC's do a pretty good job of reducing some of the jitter and noise. And your front end is also going to determine how much value a DDC will bring. But the fact remains, Tarun has a brilliant knack of explaining the tech, and did a great job here again. That was the main point I was trying to highlight :-)
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Perhaps my point was not made as succinctly as I would have liked the first time :-) Your point above is fully valid, if it was a product review. Not everyone has the chance to test it themselves, and they have to use all available opinions/perspectives of others to form their own opinion/decision. I did not listen to this particular video because I wanted to know if this product was suitable for my environment, but it was an explanation of why a DDC could be beneficial. And this is validated in the title. Very different perspective. For me, it is still one of the best explanations of why you might want to look at a DDC. As always, results may vary. That was my point. Hope that makes more sense.
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Yesterday the Pontus 2 arrived. A bought it blind since there is no possibility to listen to it in the Netherlands. I had to rely on Tarun's expertise. Although the unit isn't burned in, it's a HELL OF A DAC!! Thanks!!
That is great Jacob. My advice would be to get a couple of hundred hours of use on that DAC as quickly as possible. After that you should be able to really assess it’s capabilities 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun. Today the Node N130 with USB output arrived. I was lucky to make a very good deal selling my old dac. I'm shocked ! I didn't realise that a usb connection could make such a difference in attack, dynamics, space and soundstage. Node is connected to my Mutec MC3+USB -> Pontus2 ( bnc) Thanks
Very interesting subject tarun, no free lunch in life, even in hifi and digital, while working in the RAF some of the aircraft used a lot of digital technology, it was critical it all worked flawlessly, I remember just getting into transport and DAC combos, I used some quite exotic fibre optic cables and coaxial cables pilfered from the avionics bay,and modified for hifi use,this was 1992 ,even back then the technical details were quite complex especially if you are trying to keep a multi million pound aircraft in the sky,lots of backup redundancy built into said systems, cables definitely made a difference, especially to my ears,even today using different USB cables on different front ends I notice a difference, thanks for a great hifi channel I look forward to seeing another topic soon.
Always great to learn about your experiences Paul. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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Great video…very informative. I did not want an extra box in my very minimal space so I went for a Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE. It has an excellent solution to this very “problem” already included. I don’t have a dedicated listening room and it is not treated. However the spring 3KTE gives me wonderful sound, imaging and it makes my system sound more powerful and the bass is stronger. I no longer have to push the volume dial to get the sound I love. It’s amazing what a DAC can do to your system and to realize how important and what it’s responsible for in a hifi system.
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@@mikehuntington4440 I use an Audiolab CDT using optical out. I also use a bluesound NODE that is connected via USB. I use the HDMI ARC to connect my TV and stream hi/res music 🎶 both via usb. I’m also going to add an external power supply to the NODE. I can’t wait to see if that makes a difference.
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Excellent video! Thank you, was hemming and hawing on the Iris. Once you mentioned the I2S being clocked by the transport, that right there is reason enough to buy the DDC, especially given the better clock in the Iris vs. the Pontus II. I think that is what I heard. Have to place my order with Vinshine!
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Great video Tarun. Luckily Mr Hans Beekhuyzen had already broken me in as far as some of the complexities & fragility of crystals & transport! Yours clearly explains the facts behind why further refinement most certainly isn't snake oil in this matter. Hans is a bit dry but is also a mine of information & not all solutions are exoensive.His 23€ isolation platform for example. Not as cheap as my circles of cork/foam/cork on my cd players & speakers though! Thanks for a bit more enlightenment in this field which is nothing like as simple as the "bits in bits out" simplicists would have us believe. Supercooled pcbs & transistors & warmed up dacs anyone? ; )
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Great video, Tarun. I was aware of the need to reduce jitter in the digital side of a DAC, but your excellent explanation is really useful. It’s a good reason for me to finally consider moving from my integrated CD player to components in my main system. On the other hand, I know there are clock upgrades available too, and as someone who fiddles that’s tempting too😁. I see your comments are being horribly spammed!! Take it as a compliment I suppose.
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Thanks! Just a note: The PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport is a SACD that is galvaniclly isolated internally pushing the signal to the DAC, which is a separate. Seems to do the job, if the total is a bit pricey at $13K US.
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One small point is to ensure that your player has kernal, waspi, asio streaming enabled, it makes a significant improvement to the sound as the windows' mixer resamples everything to sync across all inputs.
Nice review Tarun, & part of the reason I bought a PS audio direct stream dac & sacd player i2s fgpa dsd crystal oscillators & their soon to be released streamer (air lens) uses the optical method of isolation. The denafrips does look & seem well thought out gear if I wasn’t invested into my system so much I’d go with them & maybe chord as 2nd choice. The DAC market has certainly evolved in the last decade, I remember well when asynchronous usb was touted the end game & ladder dacs were the way to go. As you say there really is no perfect method or system apart from actually hearing live music but even then how many times have I been to a concert & had bad reverb (reflections) from my listening position that ruined the sound.
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First, Alvin Chee has suggested that if you’re streaming through a laptop or similar computer-based unit that is not tailored for high quality music transfer, you will benefit more than if you have a high quality streamer. Secondly, the Iris only has a UBS input so unless your transport has a USB output you can’t connect it - you need to move up to the Hermes to connect other type inputs. Thirdly, Denafrips and reviewers are carefully walking a thin line where they don’t want to say that the DACs below the Terminator (under $3000 USD) fail in removing noise/jitter/proper clocking but they don’t want to discourage people buying their DDCs/master clocks. So if you’re planning to buy an $1800 Pontus or $3000 Venus and then add at least a $1200 DDC and maybe a reclocker at $1750, you might want to reconsider if you’re buying a “good” DAC.
You imply a manufaturer/reviewer conspiracy without evidence. Instead you posit a tenuous purely circumstantial allusion to the fact that Denafrips is not including OCXO clocks in their lower priced DACS, and the fact that they are selling DDCs and external clocks to squeeze more cash from a naive public. And for free gear reviewers are not calling them on it. FYI hifi manufacturers are businesses like any other that have different tiers and price points for profit reasons, not necessarily because they are slyly trying to rip you off. Alvin has been great to work with and I have bought gear from him that he was always quick to support when needed. I am using a Hermes clock slaved to a Terminator II and using the I2S interface and sonically the stack is as good as my $10K Lumin P1's internal DAC, just a different flavor. Maybe next time you posit an accusation, provide some hard evidence to back it up, otherwise you are just another keyboard anarchist gaslighting the gullible, and it is not like Western society needs more of that right now lol 😆
In my experience, ensuring that USB audio from a PC source is given the best conditions to be transmitted cleanly and with minimal jitter has a noticeable influence on sound quality, even if the recipient DAC has an asynchronous USB interface and its own built-in reclocking. Provided that the system as a whole is resolving enough to appreciate the differences, of course. I've found that putting a discrete reclocker in front of an asynchronous USB DAC with built-in reclocking has limited impact though. What I've seen does have a noticeable improvement in sound quality in this case is the use of a specialised PCIE USB card solution that's designed to isolate the USB audio's power and data signal in the PC, with femtosecond clock timing of its dedicated USB hub.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks - nice channel btw. I use a PC that I built, with an upgraded clock on the motherboard, a (slightly long in the tooth now) sotm usb board, with its own upgraded clock (also sotm) and it's all powered by a Paul Hynes linear PSU.
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Hi Tarun You obviously have to have some knowledge in this particular field , so consequently I was totally lost from the very beginning . But I’m sure those with the relevant skill set will have gained much from your explanation . Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
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I ordered a Pontus II, hopefully arriving soon. All the digital signals are coming from my Mutec MC3+USB through bnc connection ( truly 75ohm). I assume this is the same set-up like the Iris? Forgot to mention : The best informative youtube channel for audio out there
Tarun, a most excellent video. I'm a retired EE. At Hewlett Packard 40 years ago we were designing galvanic isolation in precision instruments. But we had 2nd gen microprocessors talking to each other. How many clocks does an audiophile need? I need one more like I need a 4th wife. But since I'm single now, I'll go after the Terminator to up grade my Pontis.
It would be fun to compare the denafrips solutions with the ifi ipure spdif 2, which also claims to offer galvanic isolation and reclock to reduce jitter. Its much less expensive, but I notice a large improvement when I used it to connect my Ares 2 with a sonos port. I’m thinking the port is pretty noisy to get such a noticeable improvement, but the SONOS ecosystem is sooooo attractive in terms of streaming sources.
Always great explanations and reviews from this gentleman. I recently in this past winter upgraded from a Pontus II to A Venus II and while I have noticed sonic improvements I am experiencing annoying transient pops (sort of like static discharge noises if you will). Also when I would physically touch the unit the status LED's would flicker erratically and give a very minor static shock, this issue was bothering me more and more as time went on. I reached out to Denafrips regarding this issue and even sent the unit to there North American based service center where a firmware upgrade was performed. Though the flicker of status LED's has been addressed I still experience the occasional transient popping noise, I have tried evreything as far as isolation (different outlets, power cords, interconnects, AC purifiers etc...) to no avail. NOTE: This issue only rears it's annoyance while streaming. All this to say that this video has given me somewhat of a explanation as to what may be some of the reasons as to why I may be experiencing these anomalies, especially about the sensitivity to voltages and it being temperature dependent. This got me to thinking that I should try isolating my internet service entry-HMMMMMMMMMM!
Thank you for your kind words of support Juan. Sorry, to learn about the experiences you are having with the Venus II. If you haven’t already, try it with different sources and different inputs. If it is the same will all, I suspect you may have a faulty unit. Good luck 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Good day Tarun and thank you for your response. YES-as you I believe the same as I have tried all inputs and numerous sources but as mentioned it seems the issue is when I stream, do you suppose the noise may be emanating from the roputer/WiFi extender? Might a 75 ohm isolation transformer help? Just your thought if possible and once again thank you for your response, Juan Valentin..................
Good day Tarun and thank you for your response. YES-as you I believe the same as I have tried all inputs and numerous sources but as mentioned it seems the issue is when I stream, do you suppose the noise may be emanating from the router/WiFi extender? Might a 75 ohm isolation transformer help? Just your thought if possible and once again thank you for your response, Juan Valentin..................
@@juanvalentin3302 if it is only happening with your streamer and you have tried different streaming devices. Then it is possible that the Wi-Fi extender could be a problem. I don’t think a isolation transformer will help at the Venus as pretty good internal isolation on all inputs. If it worked fine with the Pontus II then it could be a quirk of the Venus II. I would email Alvin at Vinshine and see what he suggests 😊
S/PDIF is analogous to composite video, I2S corresponds to component video. The quality of the clock in the S/PDIF transmitter isn't so important as the multiplexing and the coax cable are the real bottleneck. This is the reason having the clock close to the DAC is better - a shorter signal path. Async USB beats S/PDIF because in this scheme the DAC is the clock master, meaning it'll use a standard crystal oscillator, not a VCXO. VCXOs have wider bandwidth and hence are more prone to jitter.
That’s not a bad explanation Tarun. When you get into the parts, their quality level, their reliability, you’re getting into heady stuff. Digital is less forgiving of issues. No gear is perfect. The Project RS 2T is the transport of choice for premo translation. It’s had I2S from the start, not to mention the best drive system available. Opinions vary, but let your ears be your guide. It starts with the transport first. Screw that up and you will be miserable. That correction by the DCC is the cleaner of the group and your DAC rounds out the package. That’s your front end in the digital world with physical media. The Iris is the cleanup go to along with the Gaia as the big leaguer. A Halo May KTE is the sweetheart DAC for the well healed, but the Spring 3 KTE will suffice real well. Home runs everybody. When you love your media, it is worth the research, time, effort and money to make your ears happy. After all, happy ears make a happy you! Stay safe my mates!😊👍🏻😁🛠
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@@abritishaudiophile7314, Tarun, this has occurred on other channels also, so the viewers need to know this as this sort of thing is an issue on RUclips. Thank you for getting the word out!
Thank you Alex. Much appreciated. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Fascinating.... My understanding is I2S implementation is not standardized so I worry about compatibility between a transport's I2S (using HDMI as an example) with a DAC's I2S. It's a bit of a wild wild west with I2S, I think.....
Flexibility of Pontus layouts get around that problem. The main issue using I2S is that you either need a transport with better isolation from noise and a better clocking mechanism than your DAC or a good quality DDC 😊
Great explanations of each of these concepts, Tarun ... thank you. So just to confirm something: if I have a Bluesound Node running into a Denafrips Hermes DDC, would you suggest that USB is the optimal connection between the two? I'm currently using toslink. Thanks again.
Thank you. The short answer is yes. You want to take advantage of the USB asynchronous connection. The exception would be if the USB interface is poorly implemented in the Bluesound. Is suspect it will be fine 😊
The Bluesound you mentioned is the latest with usb output? I'm running an old Node 2 using toslink into the Mutec MC3+USB. I can remember that the first examples of the Node N130 have a usb output, but not working. If this usb outpit on your Node (130?) is working fine, I won't hesitate to switch my old Node for the latest version. Please let me know
@@jakobgooijer I've now changed the cable from the new Bluesound Node (the latest version) from toslink to USB, and it's working great. May be confirmation bias on my part, but I do feel like the bass was considerably enhanced. And the BluOS app recognized the Denafrips device immediately through the USB connection. No issues setting it up. For the record, I used a Wireworld Starlight 8 USB cable.
@@davidparkes1508 In the meantime I bought the N130 also. Same as your experience, the Node recognize my Mutec by name and number using an excellent Supra usb cable. Now the Mutec ( and for you the Denafrips) is the master and the Node the slave. It makes indeed a big step in the good direction. Note: by using the usb output it disables the volume control on my phone/tablet .
Thank you for a great and simple explanation. One question: if the DAC doesn’t have an i2S input does that mean that getting a DDC might not provide a noticeable improvement?
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Yeyyy. There are currently only two reviews online. One from sound news and one from a buyer on a site. And I’m definitely looking forward to your review because it seems that it has the naturalness and midrange richness of r2r and transparency and dynamic contrast of DS dacs. It’s also an excellent pre amp according to both the reviewers. Especially if you combined it with a DDC…
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@@abritishaudiophile7314 no trouble I never expected anything, your knowledge and honesty is the gift. I watch your vids and others that play their set ups. And then I go into my room and crank that baby. Do you ever play them on your vids. One day I'll tape my setup and send it to you. Might have some kind of contest and compare my set with high end. I'm telling you my stereo cranks. Highs are nice mid is fab the bass strong but not overwhelming.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I sent a few replies to you did they go to you cus I did send my email. If your not getting about three or 4 replies one saying that you didn't have to send me anything? If not you may be hacked. Unfortunately now days you never know if Putin is trying to horn in something great, spoil sport.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 good cus I didn't send any emails. Why would someone send you a bunch of emails hoping to get something? When I saw it, it didn't seem right when I checked that everyone got the same message. A gift to everyone would have been expensive. So not to worry.
Hi Tarun, I've been experimenting with HQ player from Signalyst. Been using it to upsample and apply it's proprietary filters and comparing Vs ripped flac files. To me there's a significant upgrade in terms of detail, layering, air, micro details and even soundstage. And wondering if you tried to compare it Vs the chord or denfrip DACs? If not I'd highly recommend you have a listen and tell us what you think.... Best
Hi from Denmark 🇩🇰✌️ Iv'e avoid extern DAC/Streaming so far. I'm kind of old school regarding my set-up and thinking. Music has to be physical too me, somehow? But i do have a lust to try it. Even though my digital source is my beloved older Linn Ikemi ❤️ My Lavardin Pre 62/MAP (MONO), and their speaker made for it. Le Contoure Stabile 160 Floorstanders. Turntable is Rega P8/Apheta II Phono stage are: Lehmann Black Cube SE II ref. The pre amp is 100% analog. Not even a remote? They thought it would impact the sound negative. So for me to go all DAC, i don't know before i have tried. Thx for sharing.
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Thank you. This is an extract from my Denafrips Iris review. ruclips.net/video/3tKWWs-OMxw/видео.html Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Very well explained, Tarun. I have a question. Is it worth buying the Iris if you own, as I do, the Chord Qutest which is fantastic but does not have i2s input? Will there be a bump in quality significant enough to warrant the asking price?
After my second year of calculus I distinctly remember the fog that descended on my brain. I just couldn’t find the impetus to continue into the abstract and I began to lose the poetry of math. This video makes me want to run, half-naked, in the broad daylight, screaming to a turntable store. As a person who makes my living plucking and bowing a double bass I just can’t get my head around this level of concern over the reproduction of sound. DACs are already pushing my patience though I try to educate myself. I specifically partition parts of my day, my brain, my soul if you will, for music. I think audiophiles would do well to do the same. Unless of course it is the science and not the music that moves them, fair. The more audiophile shows I watch the less I feel I need them. Or even that they may deteriorate the simple and direct joy of music. Your channel is excellent, don’t get me wrong. But I’d love to see more passion about music, about the endgame of achieving undiluted joy through music and sound! Cheers.
Thank you for the feedback Jason. This is one of the most technical videos I have presented. I appreciate it may not be for everyone. I personally have had a lifelong passion for science and music but when it comes to our hobby, I agree, the music should come first 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Great video however I largely still listen to CD . Both my players have built in DACs The older premium Onkyo C7070 has internal separate left & right channels run through rca leads to Naim XLS2 & Focal Floortanding speakers. It conveys music with scale & depth overlayed with plenty of detail. The much newer Rotel Tribute sounds excellent for the price. I bypass Marantz PM6006 amp tone controls to retain clean sound to Mission QX2 mk2,s for great mid & micro detail - less bass heft than Naim/ Focal combo obviously 👍
Great explanation! Does this mean that when a dac has an internal I2S path from USB input (like the Weiss dac204), that you can safely use any computer as a streamer without SQ loss? In my view advantage of streamer is reduction of noise and if lucky a nice app….
Several of the concepts in this video are put to use in the Grimm Audio MU1 digital audio server & transport. The MU1 has , apparently, such an accurate clock that it’s difficult to get any measuring equipment to measure its accuracy ! (And the accurate clock is responsible for the high cost.) The recommended digital out from the MU1 is AES EBU. Any reason AES EBU not described in the video Tarun ? It’s SPDIF, so it should make the external DAC use the far more accurate clock of the MU1.
Thank you Trevor. I didn’t test the AES/EBU connection. Next time perhaps. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi.. Well enjoyed watching your informative clips regarding the function of DDC. Since I am a beginner of Hi-Fi music, am wondering if any kinds of DDC can perform 100% its expected functions such as the connection via coxial with the Denafrips Iris DDC and Denafrips Pontus or Denafrips Iris DDC and Denafrips Vinus DAC or Denafrips Iris DDC and Holo Springs 3 KTE or Denafrips Iris and Marantz SACD Player SA-10 built in DAC? I would highly appreciate your advice. Thanks.
Thank you Eui. The Holo Audio Spring 3 uses a PLL to eliminate jitter and the Venus has the same quality clock as the Iris. The Iris is best used with the Pontus II 😊
Hello A B A (no further B missing :-) B&W DM 601 S2 was a speaker so many people bought as it won so many prizes, and so many people have them at home and would like to know your opinion. Thanks for reviewing @earthlings: please send a pair to Mr A B A
Another great video. I have a question though: where does a reclocker fit the story? For example I have a separate Innuos reclocker connected to my Zen Mk two, how does that impact the information delivery problems that you’re raising here? Are any of the items you’re describing here effectively dealt with by a separate reclocker that is used in a given system? Thanks again
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Thanks for the link Tarun - you are right in the ‘doubling up’. I noticed improvement with every step: computer USB which is known to be noisy - Uptone ISO Regen - Gaia DDC - I2S to Terminator+ which provides the clock to the Gaia:-)
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Nice video Tarun. I have a question about jitter. Once it's inside the signal (i.e. from your transport) and transmitted over toslink, can it be corrected by the DAC?
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Hi Tarun. I just recieved my Iris but have no I2S cable to connect it to my Pontus dac. I am so confused about it. Is it an ordinary HDMI cable ? My friend brought it to me from Germany for trial but I don't know how to connect it.
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Can't the DAC store a few samples of information and convert to analogue by itself whenever required, without asking the source/pc for every sample? So that even if there is Jitter in collecting the data from pc, the DAC won't experience any Jitter because samples are readily available in Buffer. I want to know your opinion or answer for my query. Thank you sir.
Very informative Tarun 👍 With regards to isolation, what about Wifi as a transport medium? In my experience a Chord Mojo 2 / Poly Streamer over WiFi, gives a cleaner result than any of the ever more expensive USB cables I tried directly connected to the Mojo 2.
I believe the connection between the Mojo and the Poly is wired, no? I haven’t looked into it to be honest. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi, yes, I had already figured as much 🙂. Yes it is wired but it is an extremely short connection part, USB connector to USB connector without wire in-between. And since both cases are shoved together, forming one shell, the signal path is entirely within it. I am not sure if that matters. They could also have created it as one device.
This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience. You could use the Iris with any streamer that has a USB digital output. Whether that is the best way to spend the money will depend on the quality of the rest of the system 😊
In the context of a Chord Hugo TT2 with an M-scaler where would the Denafrips Iris sit, would it be before the M-scaler. Do you think there would be any benefit of pairing the Iris with the Chord combo?
What would you say does light / moderate / heavy jitter sound like? I use a very basic setup -- an ArgonAudio SOLO streamer feeds an ARES II and RME ADI2 via Coax and Toslink. No idea, how severe my jitter situation is.
Normally jitter will contribute to harshness and loss in fidelity of the sound. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me.” Is is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 ... got myself an Ifi iPower2 to feed 5V into my Argon Audio streamer, thanks to your other video (ruclips.net/video/UmiLQ9ifb0A/видео.html). I am now a little wiser -- seems my Solo had fed some quite jittery signal into my DAC -- sounds VERY noticeably better now with the cleaner power supply. Thank you very much indeed!! Tarun for providing so VERY useful hints. In the end, the
This was very informative, what about reclocking of SPDF in and out which is offered by the Hermes? Would that have enough valus to justify the added cost?
Value is real it I’ve but I wouldn’t buy the Hermes for solely that purpose. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me.” Is is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips.
Hi Tarun. Can you comment on the benefit of using DDC for older DACs? I'm thinking USB out from pc via DDC to coaxial input on Musical Fidelity V-dac ii. 5 years ago there seemed to be plenty of options for this and it was firmly recommended; research suggests this isn't the case anymore.😐
It depends on the quality of the DAC. You may be better of upgrading the DAC than adding a DDC. Your system is only as good as the weakest link. If you think that the old DAC is still comparable to modern equivalents then a DDC may make sense 😊
It can manifest sonically in many ways. Normally harshness and reduced fidelity. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Question: If I have a streamer that outputs I2S to my DAC that has I2s what would the point of a DDC be? I could come out USB to the DDC then I2S to the DAC but is that worth it?
Hey Tarun, i have an older Micro Mega MyDac; no display and USB,coaxial and optical connectors. The dac connected with my amplifier. With a labtop(RUclips music) it sounds very well for my ears. Also i have a Bluesound Node 2i (wired to modem) in "aux" in the amplifier. Play Spotify and Tidal. Do you think the dac inside the Bluesound is better than the Micro Mega? Because the Bluesound is newer? I think it's a Wolsson dac indide the Buesound, but i'm not sure. Speakers are Dali Oberon 5 and sounds great; again for my ears. Ohh..the amp is a recapped Sansui AU-317,perfectly done. Also love that amp. altough it's vintage; enough "juice" for the speaker; with just a little volume, it's already roomfilling.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Yeah, because it’s a “never ending story” ; newer and “better”. That’s the hobby. I will keep the Micro Mega, it’s great(for my ears). Our ears are not “digital”.. it becomes worse when we get older (even our eyes)… Thanxx Tarun, nice reviews always👌👍
I wonder how this DAC would compare with my Arcam dac fmj d33. Obviously technology moves on and I wonder if the Iris although much cheaper than the D33 might actually be an upgrade!??
Hear hear Tarun! I connected my Sbooster powered Chord 2qute through usb with the Sbooster powered Jcat usb card in my dedicated audio pc. I have a Singxer F1 ddc lying around, would it be a good idea to use it in my chain or am I losing quality because of the spdif output of the F1 and needing an extra cable? Cheers!
I all depends on the quality of the clock in your digital transport. If it is better than the F1, there will be no point in adding it to your chain. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That was just in time Tarun!! He promised me a SMSL VMV A2 amp, but had to charge me 155,- usd shipping fee. What a world we live in…..
A few months ago I bought a Pontus II, in no small part due to your review. I am replacing it with a Terminator. My streamer is an innuos Zen Mk III. Will I gain much with an Iris?
Not is you a upgrading to the Terminator. It has a superior clock than the Isis. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Sadly I2S Has no universal standard. Iris for example does not work with my Smsl M400. but works fine with Audio Gd R2R-2. Hope that this standard will be unified in the future. Beside that my only complain for the Iris is , to little connection options. Would be happy for a doubling of every port. 😅
Thank you for sharing. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi all ! Is the output of an iPhone or iPad i2S? I play my ALAC (Apple Lossless) files from my phone to a SONY portable DAC having what looks like an i2S input. It seems to work well and sound good. Phone ▶️ DAC ▶️ Preamp▶️ Amp ▶️ Speakers. Comments please?
Surprised to hear no mention or use of MEMS oscillators. Many advantages over crystal (ultra low jitter, temp stability) with one caveat: they suffer from helium intrusion through the silicon with will cause the clock to stop. Never a problem as long as you don't have helium gas being leaked into the room. A company called SiTime make these devices. In fact, they have a youtube channel.
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I haven’t David. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
The T+ has a better clock than the Iris. The Gaia may be a worthwhile add on. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi. I use USB audio and my DAC (Ifi zen V2) allows one to pick the buffer size with several choices. Is a smaller or bigger buffer better for the sound?
@@paultasker7788 This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no worries. If anyone offers me a prize I assume it is a spam message unless I've actively entered a competition which I haven't. Don't worry. It's a problem on all you tube channels though they don't usually pretend to be you. Hard to stop them I'm afraid.
I personally use Flac Files (arround 800-1000kbs) and i totally happy with the quality. Its a complex topic (with a lot of voodoo and esoteric because no one blind tested it in an AB Test). I'm pretty sure a lot of people cant tell a difference in a blind Test, if its a 320kbps Mp3 or a High Res file with 900kbps. The Room Acoustic is the biggest Part of Resolution (when youve good Electronics & Loudspeakers). You get way more quality with an good Diffusion & Absorbtion Concept than the latest Streamer, DAC Chip or Format. Its like mostly everything in Hifi : Marketing.
Dear viewers, someone called “Telegram Me” is using my photo and offering viewers a giveaway. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@pt265 Dude, the first time i decided to plug my phone into my focusrite dac and see if it worked (it did), then ran that through my tube preamp into some pretty fucking sweet 12" monitors i built up. I about had a panick attack. I never even thought to just plug my phone into my dac until i was about to purchase a streamer and thought maybe i better check. I didn't purchase a streamer. Im a rare android/apple music user, so i have the benefit of being able to plug right into a type c port with no annoying dongles or adapters. I perceive ZERO electrical switching noise from the phone either doing this. And there's just something MAGIC about running a DAC made for mixing and mastering into a tube amp to tasty it up for music listening. The mixing dac tube amp combo is genuinely a match made in imaging heaven.
I was even happier to find out like nearly half my library was 24bit 48 or 96khz when i looked too. One trippy hippie group i listen to had an ep up in 196khz, and they know what theyre doing, it's every bit as surreal as the best dsd i've heard too, basically perfection in sound to me, even on my 2 channel, close my eye's and im there.
everything i listen to sounding basically perfect, right under my nose and i was already paying for the service and had all the equipment i needed.
Now to reorganize my priorities, a corvette sounds a bit nicer then a 04 taurus on it's last leg. (I probably have the best sound you've ever heard come from a dying turd though)
This happens on many channels.
I don’t always watch hifi youtubers but when I do I watch Tarun and I learn fancy science stuff. Always top notch stuff, T
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Yes he’s a great learning tool but no tool lol
I bought the Singxer SU-6 a few months ago for the reasons you mentioned. I noticed a huge improvement using I2S rather than coax. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Nice explanation, thanks. I’m running the Iris+Pontus combo using I2S. Love it.
Me too 👍
I also have two Audiolab DC Blockers before the Pontus and before my integrated SET amp (directly into dedicated line in wall). It just sounds better with blockers in place.
@@bdmcn This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun for following up. Have a nice weekend.
Great info. I recently got the Denafrips Hermes and Pontus 2, and the DDC has made a nice improvement in every DAC that I've tried with it, especially when using the i2s connection. Thanks Tarun!
Thank you for sharing your experiences Todd 👍
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This is the best explanation yet for the reason for a DDC, or for a really good transport, to reduce jitter and noise to the DAC. Your knowledge, delivery of these videos continue to raise and set the bar. Thank you.
This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I don't believe that Tarun is saying that a DDC is a slam dunk. But he brings about an explanation of why a DDC could be valuable in a system. As you have mentioned, results may vary, and in some cases DAC's do a pretty good job of reducing some of the jitter and noise. And your front end is also going to determine how much value a DDC will bring. But the fact remains, Tarun has a brilliant knack of explaining the tech, and did a great job here again. That was the main point I was trying to highlight :-)
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Perhaps my point was not made as succinctly as I would have liked the first time :-) Your point above is fully valid, if it was a product review. Not everyone has the chance to test it themselves, and they have to use all available opinions/perspectives of others to form their own opinion/decision.
I did not listen to this particular video because I wanted to know if this product was suitable for my environment, but it was an explanation of why a DDC could be beneficial. And this is validated in the title. Very different perspective. For me, it is still one of the best explanations of why you might want to look at a DDC. As always, results may vary. That was my point. Hope that makes more sense.
Hi Tarun, this is a great summary. You have really packaged it well in an easy to follow format.
Thank you Hugo. That is very kind 😊👍
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You have the great ability to explain complex things in simple ways. Great work!
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Yesterday the Pontus 2 arrived.
A bought it blind since there is no possibility to listen to it in the Netherlands. I had to rely on Tarun's expertise.
Although the unit isn't burned in, it's a HELL OF A DAC!!
Thanks!!
That is great Jacob. My advice would be to get a couple of hundred hours of use on that DAC as quickly as possible. After that you should be able to really assess it’s capabilities 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun.
Today the Node N130 with USB output arrived. I was lucky to make a very good deal selling my old dac.
I'm shocked ! I didn't realise that a usb connection could make such a difference in attack, dynamics, space and soundstage.
Node is connected to my Mutec MC3+USB -> Pontus2 ( bnc)
Thanks
Very interesting subject tarun, no free lunch in life, even in hifi and digital, while working in the RAF some of the aircraft used a lot of digital technology, it was critical it all worked flawlessly, I remember just getting into transport and DAC combos, I used some quite exotic fibre optic cables and coaxial cables pilfered from the avionics bay,and modified for hifi use,this was 1992 ,even back then the technical details were quite complex especially if you are trying to keep a multi million pound aircraft in the sky,lots of backup redundancy built into said systems, cables definitely made a difference, especially to my ears,even today using different USB cables on different front ends I notice a difference, thanks for a great hifi channel I look forward to seeing another topic soon.
Always great to learn about your experiences Paul. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 ok tarun thanks for the information regarding the spamming.
Thanks Tarun for simplifying complicated process for newbies like me
Thank you Atri. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun
Thank you for being to the point
@@user-ff9rx7kq2g most welcome 😊
Great video…very informative. I did not want an extra box in my very minimal space so I went for a Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE. It has an excellent solution to this very “problem” already included. I don’t have a dedicated listening room and it is not treated. However the spring 3KTE gives me wonderful sound, imaging and it makes my system sound more powerful and the bass is stronger. I no longer have to push the volume dial to get the sound I love. It’s amazing what a DAC can do to your system and to realize how important and what it’s responsible for in a hifi system.
Thank you SB. I reviewed the model down at it impressed me enough to be my DAC of the year in 2021 😊
What digital source are you using?
Hi SB, this is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I know…I replied with a 💩💩💩 and reported them. It got taken down.
@@mikehuntington4440 I use an Audiolab CDT using optical out. I also use a bluesound NODE that is connected via USB. I use the HDMI ARC to connect my TV and stream hi/res music 🎶 both via usb. I’m also going to add an external power supply to the NODE. I can’t wait to see if that makes a difference.
After the warning I thought it might be beyond me....... Awesome and thorough explanation 👍🏻
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Excellent video! Thank you, was hemming and hawing on the Iris. Once you mentioned the I2S being clocked by the transport, that right there is reason enough to buy the DDC, especially given the better clock in the Iris vs. the Pontus II. I think that is what I heard. Have to place my order with Vinshine!
Thank you 👍
It will be here tomorrow. Praise Jesus 😊. Just kidding 😊
This was very educational and I am fairly technically minded as I posses several of electrical and digital engineering experience.
Thank you Michael 😊👍
Thank you, Tarun. Highly informative. Perhaps your background as a teacher enables you to give such a concise overview?
Thank you BEM. I suppose it is useful to accumulate as many skills as possible. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Great video Tarun. Luckily Mr Hans Beekhuyzen had already broken me in as far as some of the complexities & fragility of crystals & transport! Yours clearly explains the facts behind why further refinement most certainly isn't snake oil in this matter. Hans is a bit dry but is also a mine of information & not all solutions are exoensive.His 23€ isolation platform for example. Not as cheap as my circles of cork/foam/cork on my cd players & speakers though! Thanks for a bit more enlightenment in this field which is nothing like as simple as the "bits in bits out" simplicists would have us believe.
Supercooled pcbs & transistors & warmed up dacs anyone? ; )
Hi Andy, please ignore the spam email from “Telegram me” with my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Hans is a wealth of information and experience 😊
Great video, Tarun. I was aware of the need to reduce jitter in the digital side of a DAC, but your excellent explanation is really useful. It’s a good reason for me to finally consider moving from my integrated CD player to components in my main system. On the other hand, I know there are clock upgrades available too, and as someone who fiddles that’s tempting too😁.
I see your comments are being horribly spammed!! Take it as a compliment I suppose.
Thank you Mark. I have reported it. It is a pain but part of the course for a content creator, sadly 😢
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, I’ve just reported it too! RUclips needs to get a grip on this, it’s going to affect the use of the platform
I agree. It is becoming more of a problem 🤔
Fantastic Explanation.
Thank you Tony 😊👍
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Thanks! Just a note: The PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport is a SACD that is galvaniclly isolated internally pushing the signal to the DAC, which is a separate. Seems to do the job, if the total is a bit pricey at $13K US.
Thank you Lonnie 😊
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One small point is to ensure that your player has kernal, waspi, asio streaming enabled, it makes a significant improvement to the sound as the windows' mixer resamples everything to sync across all inputs.
Thank you John 😊
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Just viewed your series on Sources, Speakers and Amplifiers. Very Good!! Not many bargain DDCs .
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Nice review Tarun, & part of the reason I bought a PS audio direct stream dac & sacd player i2s fgpa dsd crystal oscillators & their soon to be released streamer (air lens) uses the optical method of isolation.
The denafrips does look & seem well thought out gear if I wasn’t invested into my system so much I’d go with them & maybe chord as 2nd choice.
The DAC market has certainly evolved in the last decade, I remember well when asynchronous usb was touted the end game & ladder dacs were the way to go.
As you say there really is no perfect method or system apart from actually hearing live music but even then how many times have I been to a concert & had bad reverb (reflections) from my listening position that ruined the sound.
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Thank you for sharing your experiences by the way 😊
First, Alvin Chee has suggested that if you’re streaming through a laptop or similar computer-based unit that is not tailored for high quality music transfer, you will benefit more than if you have a high quality streamer. Secondly, the Iris only has a UBS input so unless your transport has a USB output you can’t connect it - you need to move up to the Hermes to connect other type inputs. Thirdly, Denafrips and reviewers are carefully walking a thin line where they don’t want to say that the DACs below the Terminator (under $3000 USD) fail in removing noise/jitter/proper clocking but they don’t want to discourage people buying their DDCs/master clocks. So if you’re planning to buy an $1800 Pontus or $3000 Venus and then add at least a $1200 DDC and maybe a reclocker at $1750, you might want to reconsider if you’re buying a “good” DAC.
You imply a manufaturer/reviewer conspiracy without evidence. Instead you posit a tenuous purely circumstantial allusion to the fact that Denafrips is not including OCXO clocks in their lower priced DACS, and the fact that they are selling DDCs and external clocks to squeeze more cash from a naive public. And for free gear reviewers are not calling them on it. FYI hifi manufacturers are businesses like any other that have different tiers and price points for profit reasons, not necessarily because they are slyly trying to rip you off. Alvin has been great to work with and I have bought gear from him that he was always quick to support when needed. I am using a Hermes clock slaved to a Terminator II and using the I2S interface and sonically the stack is as good as my $10K Lumin P1's internal DAC, just a different flavor. Maybe next time you posit an accusation, provide some hard evidence to back it up, otherwise you are just another keyboard anarchist gaslighting the gullible, and it is not like Western society needs more of that right now lol 😆
now I cant unsee this....just when i was good with the idea that denafrpis anyo is alli need...now i am looking for the combo ares an iris...
Sorry about that 😊
In my experience, ensuring that USB audio from a PC source is given the best conditions to be transmitted cleanly and with minimal jitter has a noticeable influence on sound quality, even if the recipient DAC has an asynchronous USB interface and its own built-in reclocking. Provided that the system as a whole is resolving enough to appreciate the differences, of course.
I've found that putting a discrete reclocker in front of an asynchronous USB DAC with built-in reclocking has limited impact though. What I've seen does have a noticeable improvement in sound quality in this case is the use of a specialised PCIE USB card solution that's designed to isolate the USB audio's power and data signal in the PC, with femtosecond clock timing of its dedicated USB hub.
Same experience here, I've found its best to try and deal with jitter as early on in the chain, instead of fixing it later down the line.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
That makes sense to me Martin 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks - nice channel btw.
I use a PC that I built, with an upgraded clock on the motherboard, a (slightly long in the tooth now) sotm usb board, with its own upgraded clock (also sotm) and it's all powered by a Paul Hynes linear PSU.
@@martinjohnson2381 why not get a decent audiophile grade sound card with digital SPDIf out? What’s the advantage of adding an audiophile USB PCIe?
Best audio channel on youtube!
Thank you buddy. Much appreciated 😊👍
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Hi Tarun You obviously have to have some knowledge in this particular field , so consequently I was totally lost from the very beginning . But I’m sure those with the relevant skill set will have gained much from your explanation . Best wishes and kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
Th am you Michael. This one was a bit techy 😊
Well said goodsir😁👍🎧 I must be learning something cuz I don't think I got lost through any of that well done Tarun.
Thank you Shane 😊👍
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@@abritishaudiophile7314 yes I figured I wasn't going to be that lucky😁👍
An outstandingly informative review
Thank you Geoffrey 😊👍
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I ordered a Pontus II, hopefully arriving soon.
All the digital signals are coming from my Mutec MC3+USB through bnc connection ( truly 75ohm).
I assume this is the same set-up like the Iris?
Forgot to mention : The best informative youtube channel for audio out there
Thank you Jakob. Much appreciated. Please let me know how you get on with the Pontus II 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I will!!
Tarun, a most excellent video. I'm a retired EE. At Hewlett Packard 40 years ago we were designing galvanic isolation in precision instruments. But we had 2nd gen microprocessors talking to each other. How many clocks does an audiophile need? I need one more like I need a 4th wife. But since I'm single now, I'll go after the Terminator to up grade my Pontis.
Great. Thank you 👍
It would be fun to compare the denafrips solutions with the ifi ipure spdif 2, which also claims to offer galvanic isolation and reclock to reduce jitter. Its much less expensive, but I notice a large improvement when I used it to connect my Ares 2 with a sonos port. I’m thinking the port is pretty noisy to get such a noticeable improvement, but the SONOS ecosystem is sooooo attractive in terms of streaming sources.
Great comment and suggestion Brad 😊
Always great explanations and reviews from this gentleman. I recently in this past winter upgraded from a Pontus II to A Venus II and while I have noticed sonic improvements I am experiencing annoying transient pops (sort of like static discharge noises if you will). Also when I would physically touch the unit the status LED's would flicker erratically and give a very minor static shock, this issue was bothering me more and more as time went on. I reached out to Denafrips regarding this issue and even sent the unit to there North American based service center where a firmware upgrade was performed. Though the flicker of status LED's has been addressed I still experience the occasional transient popping noise, I have tried evreything as far as isolation (different outlets, power cords, interconnects, AC purifiers etc...) to no avail.
NOTE: This issue only rears it's annoyance while streaming.
All this to say that this video has given me somewhat of a explanation as to what may be some of the reasons as to why I may be experiencing these anomalies, especially about the sensitivity to voltages and it being temperature dependent.
This got me to thinking that I should try isolating my internet service entry-HMMMMMMMMMM!
Thank you for your kind words of support Juan. Sorry, to learn about the experiences you are having with the Venus II. If you haven’t already, try it with different sources and different inputs. If it is the same will all, I suspect you may have a faulty unit. Good luck 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Good day Tarun and thank you for your response. YES-as you I believe the same as I have tried all inputs and numerous sources but as mentioned it seems the issue is when I stream, do you suppose the noise may be emanating from the roputer/WiFi extender? Might a 75 ohm isolation transformer help?
Just your thought if possible and once again thank you for your response, Juan Valentin..................
Good day Tarun and thank you for your response. YES-as you I believe the same as I have tried all inputs and numerous sources but as mentioned it seems the issue is when I stream, do you suppose the noise may be emanating from the router/WiFi extender? Might a 75 ohm isolation transformer help?
Just your thought if possible and once again thank you for your response, Juan Valentin..................
@@juanvalentin3302 if it is only happening with your streamer and you have tried different streaming devices. Then it is possible that the Wi-Fi extender could be a problem. I don’t think a isolation transformer will help at the Venus as pretty good internal isolation on all inputs. If it worked fine with the Pontus II then it could be a quirk of the Venus II. I would email Alvin at Vinshine and see what he suggests 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 As always-well received input from you, now back to the music!
Regards and happy listening, Juan Valentin........
Great job Tarun!
Thank you Miss P 👍
the intro graphics 😁 👍👍
Thank you 😊
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S/PDIF is analogous to composite video, I2S corresponds to component video. The quality of the clock in the S/PDIF transmitter isn't so important as the multiplexing and the coax cable are the real bottleneck. This is the reason having the clock close to the DAC is better - a shorter signal path. Async USB beats S/PDIF because in this scheme the DAC is the clock master, meaning it'll use a standard crystal oscillator, not a VCXO. VCXOs have wider bandwidth and hence are more prone to jitter.
Good analogy 😊
This video has helped me a lot, understanding the operation of DACs. Keep up the great work
Thank you Richard. Much appreciated 😊👍
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Thank you for sharing this its very interesting.
Thank you 😊
That’s not a bad explanation Tarun. When you get into the parts, their quality level, their reliability, you’re getting into heady stuff. Digital is less forgiving of issues. No gear is perfect. The Project RS 2T is the transport of choice for premo translation. It’s had I2S from the start, not to mention the best drive system available. Opinions vary, but let your ears be your guide. It starts with the transport first. Screw that up and you will be miserable. That correction by the DCC is the cleaner of the group and your DAC rounds out the package. That’s your front end in the digital world with physical media. The Iris is the cleanup go to along with the Gaia as the big leaguer. A Halo May KTE is the sweetheart DAC for the well healed, but the Spring 3 KTE will suffice real well. Home runs everybody. When you love your media, it is worth the research, time, effort and money to make your ears happy. After all, happy ears make a happy you! Stay safe my mates!😊👍🏻😁🛠
Thank you Mark. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314, Tarun, this has occurred on other channels also, so the viewers need to know this as this sort of thing is an issue on RUclips. Thank you for getting the word out!
if money was a concern... would you rather buy a better DAC or buy a better DDC
Depends on the specific system but generally a better DAC first 😊
So well explained! 💪💪💪
Thank you Alex. Much appreciated. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Fascinating.... My understanding is I2S implementation is not standardized so I worry about compatibility between a transport's I2S (using HDMI as an example) with a DAC's I2S. It's a bit of a wild wild west with I2S, I think.....
Flexibility of Pontus layouts get around that problem. The main issue using I2S is that you either need a transport with better isolation from noise and a better clocking mechanism than your DAC or a good quality DDC 😊
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Great explanations of each of these concepts, Tarun ... thank you. So just to confirm something: if I have a Bluesound Node running into a Denafrips Hermes DDC, would you suggest that USB is the optimal connection between the two? I'm currently using toslink. Thanks again.
Thank you. The short answer is yes. You want to take advantage of the USB asynchronous connection. The exception would be if the USB interface is poorly implemented in the Bluesound. Is suspect it will be fine 😊
The Bluesound you mentioned is the latest with usb output?
I'm running an old Node 2 using toslink into the Mutec MC3+USB.
I can remember that the first examples of the Node N130 have a usb output, but not working.
If this usb outpit on your Node (130?) is working fine, I won't hesitate to switch my old Node for the latest version.
Please let me know
@@jakobgooijer I've now changed the cable from the new Bluesound Node (the latest version) from toslink to USB, and it's working great. May be confirmation bias on my part, but I do feel like the bass was considerably enhanced. And the BluOS app recognized the Denafrips device immediately through the USB connection. No issues setting it up. For the record, I used a Wireworld Starlight 8 USB cable.
@@davidparkes1508 In the meantime I bought the N130 also.
Same as your experience, the Node recognize my Mutec by name and number using an excellent Supra usb cable.
Now the Mutec ( and for you the Denafrips) is the master and the Node the slave.
It makes indeed a big step in the good direction.
Note: by using the usb output it disables the volume control on my phone/tablet .
Wow, that was great. Thank you.
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Thank you for a great and simple explanation. One question: if the DAC doesn’t have an i2S input does that mean that getting a DDC might not provide a noticeable improvement?
@@dxbwinenaudio thx. It has to be taken on a case by case basis 😊
A marvelous job again m8.
Still waiting for the VMV D2 SE dac review ...:)
Thank you. No plan to review that yet but I am sure I will in time 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Yeyyy. There are currently only two reviews online. One from sound news and one from a buyer on a site. And I’m definitely looking forward to your review because it seems that it has the naturalness and midrange richness of r2r and transparency and dynamic contrast of DS dacs. It’s also an excellent pre amp according to both the reviewers. Especially if you combined it with a DDC…
@@vagomaniac This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Once again, great stuff.
Thank you Neil. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no trouble I never expected anything, your knowledge and honesty is the gift. I watch your vids and others that play their set ups. And then I go into my room and crank that baby. Do you ever play them on your vids. One day I'll tape my setup and send it to you. Might have some kind of contest and compare my set with high end. I'm telling you my stereo cranks. Highs are nice mid is fab the bass strong but not overwhelming.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I sent a few replies to you did they go to you cus I did send my email. If your not getting about three or 4 replies one saying that you didn't have to send me anything? If not you may be hacked. Unfortunately now days you never know if Putin is trying to horn in something great, spoil sport.
@@neilstern7108 I picked up a few messages on this channel but not an email. Hopefully, the RUclips police will get it sorted soon 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 good cus I didn't send any emails. Why would someone send you a bunch of emails hoping to get something? When I saw it, it didn't seem right when I checked that everyone got the same message. A gift to everyone would have been expensive. So not to worry.
Hi Tarun,
I've been experimenting with HQ player from Signalyst. Been using it to upsample and apply it's proprietary filters and comparing Vs ripped flac files.
To me there's a significant upgrade in terms of detail, layering, air, micro details and even soundstage. And wondering if you tried to compare it Vs the chord or denfrip DACs?
If not I'd highly recommend you have a listen and tell us what you think....
Best
Thank you for the heads up RH 😊
Hi from Denmark 🇩🇰✌️
Iv'e avoid extern DAC/Streaming so far. I'm kind of old school regarding my set-up and thinking. Music has to be physical too me, somehow?
But i do have a lust to try it. Even though my digital source is my beloved older Linn Ikemi ❤️
My Lavardin Pre 62/MAP (MONO), and their speaker made for it. Le Contoure Stabile 160 Floorstanders.
Turntable is Rega P8/Apheta II
Phono stage are: Lehmann Black Cube SE II ref.
The pre amp is 100% analog. Not even a remote? They thought it would impact the sound negative.
So for me to go all DAC, i don't know before i have tried.
Thx for sharing.
Thank you Thomas 😊😎
Gracias
@@user-ff9rx7kq2g de nada 😊
I understood none of this. But I'm glad somebody does. Did it sound better? Is it worth it?
Thank you Michael. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a a spammer using my photo.
Can you make a review about IRIS vs Hermes and Gaia from Denafrips?
I appreciate the suggestion. I am sure I will get to it in time 😊
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Great explanation. Will you be doing a follow up video on the subjective stuff?
Thank you. This is an extract from my Denafrips Iris review. ruclips.net/video/3tKWWs-OMxw/видео.html
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Thanks for this video ! Did you notice a difference between hdmi i2s cables ?
Thanks
I used a good quality one but didn’t switch it out 😊
Very well explained, Tarun. I have a question. Is it worth buying the Iris if you own, as I do, the Chord Qutest which is fantastic but does not have i2s input? Will there be a bump in quality significant enough to warrant the asking price?
Thank you. I would put the money elsewhere 😊
After my second year of calculus I distinctly remember the fog that descended on my brain. I just couldn’t find the impetus to continue into the abstract and I began to lose the poetry of math. This video makes me want to run, half-naked, in the broad daylight, screaming to a turntable store. As a person who makes my living plucking and bowing a double bass I just can’t get my head around this level of concern over the reproduction of sound. DACs are already pushing my patience though I try to educate myself. I specifically partition parts of my day, my brain, my soul if you will, for music. I think audiophiles would do well to do the same. Unless of course it is the science and not the music that moves them, fair. The more audiophile shows I watch the less I feel I need them. Or even that they may deteriorate the simple and direct joy of music. Your channel is excellent, don’t get me wrong. But I’d love to see more passion about music, about the endgame of achieving undiluted joy through music and sound! Cheers.
Thank you for the feedback Jason. This is one of the most technical videos I have presented. I appreciate it may not be for everyone. I personally have had a lifelong passion for science and music but when it comes to our hobby, I agree, the music should come first 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I’m not saying this isn’t useful, quite the contrary, it just gives me the jitters ;)
Thank you. Understood 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Great video however I largely still listen to CD . Both my players have built in DACs
The older premium Onkyo C7070 has internal separate left & right channels run through rca leads to Naim XLS2 & Focal Floortanding speakers.
It conveys music with scale & depth overlayed with plenty of detail.
The much newer Rotel Tribute sounds excellent for the price.
I bypass Marantz PM6006 amp tone controls to retain clean sound to Mission QX2 mk2,s for great mid & micro detail - less bass heft than Naim/ Focal combo obviously 👍
Thus, the sausage is made. Thanks Tarun,
Thank you Jim. I like Cumberlands myself 😊
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Thanks 👍
I had to watch 3 times 🤯
Thank you Rick. Much appreciated 👍
Great explanation! Does this mean that when a dac has an internal I2S path from USB input (like the Weiss dac204), that you can safely use any computer as a streamer without SQ loss? In my view advantage of streamer is reduction of noise and if lucky a nice app….
Several of the concepts in this video are put to use in the Grimm Audio MU1 digital audio server & transport. The MU1 has , apparently, such an accurate clock that it’s difficult to get any measuring equipment to measure its accuracy ! (And the accurate clock is responsible for the high cost.) The recommended digital out from the MU1 is AES EBU. Any reason AES EBU not described in the video Tarun ? It’s SPDIF, so it should make the external DAC use the far more accurate clock of the MU1.
Thank you Trevor. I didn’t test the AES/EBU connection. Next time perhaps. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Would love you to compare audio streaming services sound quality wise.
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
Hi.. Well enjoyed watching your informative clips regarding the function of DDC. Since I am a beginner of Hi-Fi music, am wondering if any kinds of DDC can perform 100% its expected functions such as the connection via coxial with the Denafrips Iris DDC and Denafrips Pontus or Denafrips Iris DDC and Denafrips Vinus DAC or Denafrips Iris DDC and Holo Springs 3 KTE or Denafrips Iris and Marantz SACD Player SA-10 built in DAC? I would highly appreciate your advice. Thanks.
Thank you Eui. The Holo Audio Spring 3 uses a PLL to eliminate jitter and the Venus has the same quality clock as the Iris. The Iris is best used with the Pontus II 😊
Thanks for a swift reply..
Hello A B A (no further B missing :-) B&W DM 601 S2 was a speaker so many people bought as it won so many prizes, and so many people have them at home and would like to know your opinion. Thanks for reviewing @earthlings: please send a pair to Mr A B A
Thank you buddy. I hope to get to it in time 😊
I use an MCRU linear power supply (LPS) with my Streamer. Would a DDC help further, or is it redundant?
It depends on the DDC and the rest of the system.
Another great video. I have a question though: where does a reclocker fit the story? For example I have a separate Innuos reclocker connected to my Zen Mk two, how does that impact the information delivery problems that you’re raising here? Are any of the items you’re describing here effectively dealt with by a separate reclocker that is used in a given system? Thanks again
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Hi Paul, you should check out me full review of the Denafrips Iris
ruclips.net/video/3tKWWs-OMxw/видео.html
Thank you Tarun for your explanation! Any thoughts on sound improvement?
Thank you Wouter. Check out my full review of the Denafrips Iris DDC
ruclips.net/video/3tKWWs-OMxw/видео.html
Thanks for the link Tarun - you are right in the ‘doubling up’. I noticed improvement with every step: computer USB which is known to be noisy - Uptone ISO Regen - Gaia DDC - I2S to Terminator+ which provides the clock to the Gaia:-)
@@wouterkolkman This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I tried to flag this up - pity someone likes to do this:-)
Nice video Tarun. I have a question about jitter. Once it's inside the signal (i.e. from your transport) and transmitted over toslink, can it be corrected by the DAC?
Thank you Aaron. No it can’t. There is no asynchronous connection and handshake of information with that connection 😊
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Hi Tarun. I just recieved my Iris but have no I2S cable to connect it to my Pontus dac. I am so confused about it. Is it an ordinary HDMI cable ? My friend brought it to me from Germany for trial but I don't know how to connect it.
You can use an ordinary HDMI cable 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you 😊
Why wasn't AES/EBU mentioned?
I didn’t use that input. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Can't the DAC store a few samples of information and convert to analogue by itself whenever required, without asking the source/pc for every sample?
So that even if there is Jitter in collecting the data from pc, the DAC won't experience any Jitter because samples are readily available in Buffer.
I want to know your opinion or answer for my query.
Thank you sir.
They do have a FIFO buffer. But the harder it has to work the worse it sounds 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314can you please explain why?
Very informative Tarun 👍
With regards to isolation, what about Wifi as a transport medium? In my experience a Chord Mojo 2 / Poly Streamer over WiFi, gives a cleaner result than any of the ever more expensive USB cables I tried directly connected to the Mojo 2.
I believe the connection between the Mojo and the Poly is wired, no? I haven’t looked into it to be honest. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi, yes, I had already figured as much 🙂.
Yes it is wired but it is an extremely short connection part, USB connector to USB connector without wire in-between. And since both cases are shoved together, forming one shell, the signal path is entirely within it. I am not sure if that matters. They could also have created it as one device.
Hi Tarun, & ABA community: is there a solution for Bluesound Node 2i ==> Iris ? ... Thanks so much (love the channel btw)
This is a spam message from someone pretending to be me. They are using my photo. Please do not respond to them. I have reported it as spam to RUclips. I would never contact you in this manner to offer you a prize. Sorry for the inconvenience. You could use the Iris with any streamer that has a USB digital output. Whether that is the best way to spend the money will depend on the quality of the rest of the system 😊
You would have made a great school teacher or university lecturer.
Thank you 👍
In the context of a Chord Hugo TT2 with an M-scaler where would the Denafrips Iris sit, would it be before the M-scaler.
Do you think there would be any benefit of pairing the Iris with the Chord combo?
It wouldn’t really be worth using with the M-Scaler/TT combo 😊
What would you say does light / moderate / heavy jitter sound like? I use a very basic setup -- an ArgonAudio SOLO streamer feeds an ARES II and RME ADI2 via Coax and Toslink. No idea, how severe my jitter situation is.
Normally jitter will contribute to harshness and loss in fidelity of the sound. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me.” Is is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips.
ruclips.net/video/ZT_1UATci3c/видео.html 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 ... got myself an Ifi iPower2 to feed 5V into my Argon Audio streamer, thanks to your other video (ruclips.net/video/UmiLQ9ifb0A/видео.html).
I am now a little wiser -- seems my Solo had fed some quite jittery signal into my DAC -- sounds VERY noticeably better now with the cleaner power supply.
Thank you very much indeed!! Tarun for providing so VERY useful hints. In the end, the
This was very informative, what about reclocking of SPDF in and out which is offered by the Hermes?
Would that have enough valus to justify the added cost?
Value is real it I’ve but I wouldn’t buy the Hermes for solely that purpose. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me.” Is is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips.
Hi Tarun. Can you comment on the benefit of using DDC for older DACs? I'm thinking USB out from pc via DDC to coaxial input on Musical Fidelity V-dac ii. 5 years ago there seemed to be plenty of options for this and it was firmly recommended; research suggests this isn't the case anymore.😐
It depends on the quality of the DAC. You may be better of upgrading the DAC than adding a DDC. Your system is only as good as the weakest link. If you think that the old DAC is still comparable to modern equivalents then a DDC may make sense 😊
How does jitter sound like? Are there clips you recommend that I can listen to?
It can manifest sonically in many ways. Normally harshness and reduced fidelity. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
It’s unlikely any jitter in a quality dac would be audible at all
Question: If I have a streamer that outputs I2S to my DAC that has I2s what would the point of a DDC be? I could come out USB to the DDC then I2S to the DAC but is that worth it?
No, but the clock in your transport needs to be really good quality 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Ahh ok this is the HifiRose RS130 streamer. I think it has the temp controlled clock
Hey Tarun, i have an older Micro Mega MyDac; no display and USB,coaxial and optical connectors. The dac connected with my amplifier. With a labtop(RUclips music) it sounds very well for my ears.
Also i have a Bluesound Node 2i (wired to modem) in "aux" in the amplifier. Play Spotify and Tidal.
Do you think the dac inside the Bluesound is better than the Micro Mega? Because the Bluesound is newer? I think it's a Wolsson dac indide the Buesound, but i'm not sure.
Speakers are Dali Oberon 5 and sounds great; again for my ears.
Ohh..the amp is a recapped Sansui AU-317,perfectly done. Also love that amp. altough it's vintage; enough "juice" for the speaker; with just a little volume, it's already roomfilling.
Hi Louis, I haven’t heard the MyDAC but it is well regarded in it’s day. Newer is not always better, even when it comes to digital audio 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Yeah, because it’s a “never ending story” ; newer and “better”. That’s the hobby.
I will keep the Micro Mega, it’s great(for my ears). Our ears are not “digital”.. it becomes worse when we get older (even our eyes)…
Thanxx Tarun, nice reviews always👌👍
I have the Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and an Aurender server. I am wondering if I would benefit from the Denafrips DDC?
I don’t know how good the clock is on the Yggdrasil 😊
I wonder how this DAC would compare with my Arcam dac fmj d33. Obviously technology moves on and I wonder if the Iris although much cheaper than the D33 might actually be an upgrade!??
The only way to tell is to try 😊
Hear hear Tarun! I connected my Sbooster powered Chord 2qute through usb with the Sbooster powered Jcat usb card in my dedicated audio pc. I have a Singxer F1 ddc lying around, would it be a good idea to use it in my chain or am I losing quality because of the spdif output of the F1 and needing an extra cable? Cheers!
Found you!
I all depends on the quality of the clock in your digital transport. If it is better than the F1, there will be no point in adding it to your chain. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 That was just in time Tarun!! He promised me a SMSL VMV A2 amp, but had to charge me 155,- usd shipping fee. What a world we live in…..
@@btentusscher that is shocking. Please note that I would never offer prizes in this manner.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 He really talked me in to it, I didn’t believe at first myself. And after watching your review I started to believe…🫤
Curious what this DDC cd do with a budget dac, say a modi multibit/E50/orchid USB dac. Wd combo outperform a good 1k dac
I would spend the money on a better DAC 😊
A few months ago I bought a Pontus II, in no small part due to your review. I am replacing it with a Terminator. My streamer is an innuos Zen Mk III. Will I gain much with an Iris?
Not is you a upgrading to the Terminator. It has a superior clock than the Isis. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Sadly I2S Has no universal standard. Iris for example does not work with my Smsl M400. but works fine with Audio Gd R2R-2. Hope that this standard will be unified in the future. Beside that my only complain for the Iris is , to little connection options. Would be happy for a doubling of every port. 😅
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Hi all !
Is the output of an iPhone or iPad i2S?
I play my ALAC (Apple Lossless) files from my phone to a SONY portable DAC having what looks like an i2S input. It seems to work well and sound good.
Phone ▶️ DAC ▶️ Preamp▶️ Amp ▶️ Speakers.
Comments please?
No, it will be a usb output. Please ignore the message from “Telegram Me.” Is is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips.
Surprised to hear no mention or use of MEMS oscillators. Many advantages over crystal (ultra low jitter, temp stability) with one caveat: they suffer from helium intrusion through the silicon with will cause the clock to stop. Never a problem as long as you don't have helium gas being leaked into the room. A company called SiTime make these devices. In fact, they have a youtube channel.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
totally agree. DAC's are much more important than amps.
Thank you for watching 😊
Quick question. If my streamer has an I2S output wouldn’t that solve the need for a DDC? I don’t see a DDC with a I2S input available. Only an output.
It depends on the quality of the clock and isolation in the streamer 😊
Two LT3042 LDO’s supplying the pair of NDK NZ2520SDA oscillators.👍🏻
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"Pontus + Hermes" and "Terminator + IRIS" which is better?
I haven’t tried the Terminator 😊
Have you compared this DDC to the ifi spdif ipurifier 2 ddc?
I haven’t David. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Does fiber optic have less jitter? Pardon me, "jittaaa."
I own the Terminator Plus. Some YT reviewers say that you won't gain anything by adding a DDC with a Term+. What are your thoughts on this?
I've seen reviews that said it had added SQ
The T+ has a better clock than the Iris. The Gaia may be a worthwhile add on. Please ignore the message from “Telegram me”. It is a spammer using my photo. I have reported it to RUclips. Sorry for the inconvenience.
I received an email from Alvin. Have you edited this video for him? Thank you.
Nope. I don’t understand what you mean 🤔
"Give me, give me, give a man of the midnight..."
Hi. I use USB audio and my DAC (Ifi zen V2) allows one to pick the buffer size with several choices. Is a smaller or bigger buffer better for the sound?
It would be hard to determine objectively without getting into the complexities of the design. Best option is to trust your ears 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks. Will try experimenting and see what I prefer. My impression so far is it makes very little difference to the sound.
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@@abritishaudiophile7314 no worries. If anyone offers me a prize I assume it is a spam message unless I've actively entered a competition which I haven't. Don't worry. It's a problem on all you tube channels though they don't usually pretend to be you. Hard to stop them I'm afraid.
I personally use Flac Files (arround 800-1000kbs) and i totally happy with the quality. Its a complex topic (with a lot of voodoo and esoteric because no one blind tested it in an AB Test). I'm pretty sure a lot of people cant tell a difference in a blind Test, if its a 320kbps Mp3 or a High Res file with 900kbps. The Room Acoustic is the biggest Part of Resolution (when youve good Electronics & Loudspeakers). You get way more quality with an good Diffusion & Absorbtion Concept than the latest Streamer, DAC Chip or Format. Its like mostly everything in Hifi : Marketing.
Thank you for sharing 😊