Yes, assuming the problem lies with Denafrips. There are so many variables with each individual user's implementation that I don't know how anyone could say with certainty that it's their issue alone. Yet another possibility is that they've quietly fixed the problem in the new models to avoid warranty repairs. I have no evidence of that nor am I accusing them of it, just recognizing that it's possible.
It's been mentioned on this thread multiple times that this is not a manufacturing problem. It is a design choice by Denafrips which works very effectively the vast majority of the time, but occasionally has problems when connecting to source-clocked devices (SPDIF, AES3, i2S) when the clock of the source has too large a deviation in frequency from the DAC clock. Denafrips feels (for better or worse) that they can achieve higher sound quality by buffering and reclocking the data. They do not use a phase-locked loop (which adjusts the DAC clock to match the source) like many DACs because this can add jitter and timing errors. So if there is too much of a discrepancy in the clocks, the buffer can over-run or run out of data, causing the reported hick-up. This issue does not occur with the USB connection because the DAC controls the data rate. Anecdotally, it would appear that this problem occurs more often (although still rarely) with the lower-end Denafrips models and/or lower-priced source components where clock accuracy is less. And this is what you would expect.
And does Denafrips offer to refund these devices? Don’t know about you guys, but I am weary of spending my hard earned money on products from companies who have no legal representation in the county I reside in. If I can’t hold them legally accountable , then it’s a huge risk for me.
I was just about to buy an Ares II/Enyo. Not sure if it's worth the extra $145 for an input I am not going to use IS2. Looks like there are some capacitor changes and an additional heatsink but most of the board remains the same.
you can often find used/like-new Ares (Enyo now...) for a good price too FYI. I got one for $650USD in another forum. Contemplating getting this new one though and selling my old one or moving my old Ares to my other setup and getting the new one to have the I2s input...
The NOS/OS button on the new Ares is a welcome change from the old unit where you had to follow a series of button clicks and then didn't have visual feedback as to which mode you were in.
There are lots of other choices for DACs these days. I, for one, am very pleased with the sound I'm getting from my Terminator Plus with Gaia and am happy with my choice. But if you don't feel comfortable with the brand, there are plenty of other options that delivery excellent sound quality.
Agreed. cool that you dig the Denafrips gear. Lots of people do. I work in financial risk so I do know what came first. My job or my inclination to my job. Lol all I know is I always try and avoid high risks which of course involve large purchases of over $1k for audio products which have no legal presence here. Heck , lots of times it’s easy to get screwed out of your money from American owned companies. Let alone go for an offshore company. cheers
So what's new in the 12th anniversary edition? Is there an audible improvement? Seems ARES has both regular and 12th versions, but both Terminators are replaced by the 12th.
I had the same thought initially, but to my surprise - It's been a pleasure from start to finish. Completely painless. No matter where they are. They seem to know the value of a good reputation.
There are numerous posts on this thread regarding denafrips DACs having 'micro skipping ' issues with a number of CD transports Has anyone got any idea if this was sorted?
Been using both AresII and Pontus II for several years in two really nice setups. Never a hiccup. Wonderful sounding. Depending on the recording sometimes oversampling sounds amazing as it is much nicer than what you get with Windows for example, not to mention other schemes. The NOS may not truly disengage all the features of upsampling/OS but it sure sounds earthy and organic! My digital sounds intoxicating at this point. Done for now!
In the first look video posted above they look the same size to me based on the space between other pieces on the board that have remained the same. They are at different angles so near impossible to tell. All the power specs appear the same on the Denafrips site.
Well explained Can a DDC like the Denafrips Hermes, solve the hick-up problem when using a source with SPDIF or AES outputs on a Pontus II?
It might, but there are no guarantees. The Hermes has its own reclocking buffer, and the clock is probably a bit more accurate than the Pontus II (OCXO vs FEMTO). If the source clock was a bit on the high side and the Pontus II was a bit on the low side (or vice versa), introducing another reclocking buffer with a more accurate clock could split the difference and prevent overflow/underflow situations.
Exactly, but do you or anyone else know how deep the buffer on the Hermes or any of the other modern DDC are? I don’t get the impression there isn’t much if any. It seems like there is still no replacement for my Genesis Digital Lens, but I would be thrilled if I am wrong.
I run a Pontus II into a Hermes and unfortunately I do get the microskipping issue. Here's the interesting thing - I never used to get the microskipping issue when running the Pontus II standalone (using USB or COAX inputs) or via I2S from the Hermes. Since switching to the optical output from the Hermes into the Pontus II over the past month, I very very occasionally get a microskip. The opitcal seems to sound better to my ears than the I2S, which is annoying, although this may be expectation bias. I'll be spending some time running COAX between the Hermes and Pontus II next. I'll report back with an update as to whether the microskipping remains.
Responding to myself to add that I forgot the those DDC can source the clock nowadays, so part of it isn’t just the buffer size but how well they can adapt the output clock rate and the speed of drift of the input clock rate.
I don't think the buffer size is very deep. If they made it too deep, it would create a noticeable lag when changing songs, etc. It also makes it more difficult to synchronize with other devices playing the same content. This latter issue is probably not a big deal for most people, but if, for example, you are using the DAC to drive the front L/R channels on your home theater, you don't want the output of the DAC to lag behind the other channels. Most AV Processors include an ability to control channel delay, but this has limited range, and if the DAC delay is variable across too large a range, this can cause issues. Some of the Denafrips DDCs have the ability to slave their clock from the DAC clock or a source device that has a clock out (like a CD transport). The Pontus II does not have clock outputs - you have to go up to the Venus II to get that feature. So in a typical situation with a source like a Bluesound Node connected over SPDIF, you have a relatively low-cost clock (Node) controlling the data rate. If this goes into a Hermes or Gaia, the data will be buffered and reclocked by a much more accurate clock. If this differs in frequency by too much, the buffer will under/over-flow. There is also the possibility that the Pontus II clock is off by enough that its buffer could under/over-flow from the data sourced by the DDC, although I suspect this is fairly unlikely since these DACs still have pretty high quality clocks. As @EastConcept noted, it is also possible that inserting a DDC in the path can cause these issues that otherwise weren't present, simply because you are adding yet another clock that has to be close enough in frequency to the other two clocks. But just to be clear, I think this problem is relatively rare. Obviously for the people this affects, it can be very aggravating. But I suspect that this reclocking mechanism is at least partially responsible for the smooth, natural sound that the Denafrips DACs are known for.
