Denafrips Pontus II DAC Review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- The Denafrips Pontus II DAC is the new and updated model for 2021, with improvements to the power supply, DSP board and circuit tweaks. I take a look and see how much extra performance you get over the Ares II.
Link to Vinshine Audio, global distributor
www.denafrips.com/pontus
Link to Willow Tree Audio, UK distributor
www.willowtreeaudio.co.uk/den...
Link to my Patreon
/ abritishaudiophile
Time stamps
Intro 0:00
Design & features 0:50
Technical insights 2:53
Sound quality 5:14
Setup & partnering equipment 9:03
Conclusion 10:33
It is nice to have someone talk about a piece of stereo gear with a straight forward no BS style. This reviewer hits the high points of the hardware, explains the low points in a very lucid way and then tells you how it will effect your wallet and the parameters you will need to meet to have it work in your system. I will make a point of listening to the British Audiophile again... good on ya Sir.
Thank you Michael. That is very much appreciated 👍😊👍
Really love your videos... by far the most comprehensive, well structured and articulated. Keep going, Tarun!
Thank you Vasanth. Very kind of you to say and much appreciated 😊👍👍
Great review and sounds like a great find. Appreciate your honest and pragmatic assessment of this DAC.
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Great review as always. Really enjoyed it.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Another great review Tarun!!! Thank you.
Thank you Sandeep 😊👍
Fantastic review , so much information ℹ️ can’t thank you enough Tarun
Thank you Atri. Very kind of you to say 😊👍👍
Another excellent and thoughtful piece. Your comments on the paring of dac with amp/speaker systems was particularly enlightening, and the sound quality description, so clear. Thank you.
Thank you my friend. Very kind of you to say 😊👍
Great review as usual.
The comparison with other DACs (speacially with Chord) will help everyone.
I liked the part "When to upgrade (setup & partnering equipment)".
Thank you Shahed. Very much appreciated 😊👍
You’ve done it again. Great review. Now I have to upgrade my Denafrips Ares II!
Thank you Maurice. Very much appreciated 😊👍
Tarun, I am VERY impressed with your videos and your ability to articulate characteristics of various audiophile gear and the differences vs other products. Very well done! It's the reason I look for your opinion on fine audio gear! I agree with others that your content is #1 on TH-cam.
Thank my friend. Getting feedback like that makes all the hard work worthwhile 👍😊👍
Outstanding! I’ve been considering dacs for my vintage setup, I’m learning a lot from you! Thanks, Tarun
Thank you Felipe. I appreciate all the support you give me 😊👍
I have eres 2 with my vintage 7070 sansui, work marvelous
Another excellent presentation and review, Tarun. Articulate and accurate.
Thank you John. Very kind of you to say 😊👍
Great review. That's a beautiful unit. Hope all is well brother ✌️👍
Thank you buddy. It is. I hope all is well with you too 😊👍
Hi Tarun, great review, as always. I love the philosophy of Denafrips, as demonstrated by their use of capacitor arrays. The reason I use slit foil smoothing caps is because they behave like multiple smaller caps, but they can be placed straight into the old holes on the boards. When I have saved up enough up my pennies I will certainly go for one of these. Cheers, Mark
Thank you Mark. There design and implementation is impressive 😊👍
Very well done Tarun ! addressing all important queries of a serious buyer ..
Thank you Anand. Very kind of you to say 😊👍
Thanks Tarun! Great stuff again. Now I know what DAC to try next with my current setup =)
Thank you Jii 😊👍
Really good presentation...especially appreciated the point or system level at which the improvements are most notable. ty.
Thank you S Ude 😊👍
What he said (S Ude).
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 thank you 😊👍
Great video.This dac looks really good.Thanks for sharing
Thank you Roger. I was very impressed with it 😊👍
Wonderful stuff, love what this company does too.
Thank you Hero 😊👍
Am enjoying your reviews.... you make it easy for me to part with my money!
Thank you my friend. This hobby can hit the wallet hard 😊👍
I just found this reviewer. He is the best of the many I have heard. Others often leave me lost in the details, but he tackles the details and separates the essential from the frills. This review led me to believe that I DON'T need to upgrade to the Pontus II right now. I have been considering the BHK 250 power amp from PS Audio first. After that, I'll watch this review again. Good job. British Audiophile.
Thank you Joseph. Very kind and much appreciated 👍😊👍
Thank you. Very good description and overall judgement
Thank you Mr G 😊👍
I wanted the Pontus one , And have been on the fence. After your review and the new updates I just ordered the Pantus 2 Thank you
That is great JAM. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍👍
Very big upgrade for my system , Big Bang for the buck. Very happy with the Pontus 2. Great recommendation Tarun.
That is great Robert. So pleased that you are enjoying it 👍😊👍
Very helpfull, i have my eye on the pontus for a while....
Thank you Frank 😊👍
In the land of hi-if gear I can only aspire to own but your review doesn’t distract from the quality of the vid and the enjoyment I get from watching. Thank you 👍🏻
Al ways a pleasure to hear from you Mike. I appreciate your support 😊👍
I feel Tarun has THE BEST delivery, content and cadence of voice not to mention his experience and knowledge level. His unique abiliry is what draws me to looking for his videos. I have watched many, many channels on the subject of audiophile gear, but I now start with his videos.
@@lpspinners8736 thank you my friend. It is wonderful to have feedback like that. It is greatly appreciated 👍😊👍
Informative and comprehensive as all-ways, good job and thanks.
Thank you Sean 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Your welcome.
@@seanjoell *You're
@@ruusta8042 thatts be'ng aaa lilte pikkie!, dont u th'nk!
My eyes usually glaze over trying to watch a video about DACs, but you did a masterful job with this one.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Terrific review, thank you
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Great review and great product. Two thumbs up 👍+ 👍
Thank you Zeis and thank you again 😉👍👍
looking forward for your I2S test video, great video on the Pontus 2
Thank you Jan. Coming soon 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Especially keen to learn if you see a benefit on using the denafrips iris as an i2s bridge between my music playing pc and the pontus 2 .
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hey Tharun, It's been made aware in a forum that there might be a latency issue with the pontus that might affect watching live shows, concerts and such. I am planning to use it as a desktop dac and implement it in my main system in the future. Have you noticed a lag or delay as such watching a performance with the pontus ?
@@beherit98 interesting. I had it running for a couple of months and didn’t notice a lag when watching videos. But then I wasn’t looking out for it either 🤔
It will be my next upgrade for sure , now using a Matrix mini i pro3. In China it is selling for the equivalent of 1,099 pounds , so it makes it even more worthwhile to get it. Have always enjoyed your reviews with the technical aspect as well. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Robert. Much appreciated 😊👍
Well done. There’s no one better on the web at explaining how in digestible terms!
Thank you my friend. Very kind and much appreciated 😊👍👍
Yes, Tarun’s reviews are concise, informative, slick and easy to watch.
@@Coneman3 I couldn’t have said it better!
I enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work. I auditioned the Aries II for a couple of weeks and as a result ordered the Pontus II. I normally use the DAC in my Audio Aero La Fontaine to decode Tidal but now using the Pontus II I much prefer the Pontus. On the right recordings the soundstage and depth give the impression of being at the recording session (especially orchestral works). That realism is something I've been chasing for years. I can't imagine how the Terminator II might sound.
Thank you David. I appreciate your support and you sharing your experiences 😊👍
I own Ares II. Is Pontus II worth the upgrade?
@@locmanw1583 that will depend on the rest of the system 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 ok thanks 😊
Great review, very well explained. Very easy to understand even for non-English people.
Thank you Vincent 😊👍
Thank you Tarun for clearly explained this DAC. You review weighted heavily on my purchase of the Pontus II. I got nervous when first hooked it to my system. There was a lot of static out of the left speaker at OS mode but silent at NOS mode. Alvin quickly replied and suggest unplug the power cord, wait 30 seconds before plug power cord back in. I didn't follow his suggestion for I got worried and pushed the Stand By button to stop it. When press the Stand by button again and issue went away, not static. In fact, my system is much more quiet than before the Pontus II.
I use it with Bluesound Node 2I, Muzishare X9 and Cornwall IV. Before Pontus II, there is some static/buzzing noise out of both speakers. After the Pontus II, it not only provides more realistic vocal, instruments, sound stage...it also cleaned up those static noises. It makes me believe the Node 2I generates unwanted sounds picked up by those 102dB sensitive speakers. The DAC must filtered those unwanted noises. All my family members quickly commended how good it sounds.
The only different is now I connected XLR from Pontus II to X9 while before was RCA to RCA. Perhaps XLR helps avoid picking up static/noise from upstream equipment or surrounding cable?
Thanks again for all your clear and precise reviews.
Thank you my friend. Great to learn about your experiences. Glad to know the noise issues have been sorted. 102dB speaker will pick up anything in the chain 👍😊👍
Hi Tarun, you also got a outstanding performance.
Thank you James. Very kind 😊👍
only live once cant take any of it with you , I guess im getting the pontus after having my eye on the ares2 you sold me on . thanks
You have a great attitude to approach life Maria. Thank you for watching and please let me know how you get on with the Pontus II 😊👍
Thanks for this video Tarun, nice to compare it to the Hegel H95 dac, since that's my new amp.
I wondered a lot recently where an external DAC (be it the Ares II or this bigger brother) would stand against a built-in chip-based dac like in the Hegel.
For now, I'll keep it like this then. (Kef LS50 meta + Kef KC62 + bluesound node 2i for the tidal streaming over coax to the Hegel h95)
You have a very well balanced system Marten. Thank you for watching 😊👍
I've owned numerous chip dacs but after trying the Ares
I was sold the sound is so smooth.
I just ordered the Pontus.
I have Bowers 805 D3 speakers so I think it will be a good match.
Great review!
Thank you 👍
Thanks, and what do you think paird with the 805's by now? My same situation and am leaning toward this with the Iris.
@@hvyfknhitr9424 It sounds great with the 805's..
There is no sibilance at all which most other Dacs
I've tried that has been an issue with the 805's.
It's just slightly warm but not as warm as the ARES II
which I had prior. It's clearly above the ARES II which
for the price is great...
Thanks, just getting into a streamer running into my Madrigal Proceed AVP's dac, sounds pretty good as is through Sig 805's.... more to learn and to experiment with.
Tarun- A British company I am intrigued with is Music First Audio. Good video.
Thank you Charles. I haven’t heard any of the Music First Audio amps 😊👍
Well Tarun, I think I’m finished (maybe) you started my chase down the rabbit hole with the Ares II, then I went on to Pontus II and now my system is Sugden A21SE, Auralic Aries G1 with Hoerwege PSU upgrade, Denafrips Terminator DAC & Proac D2R speakers, sounds rather nice. Cheers for the great reviews and advice.
That is a lovely system that you have put together 😊
I have a Pontus II as well but use it in a headphone system. Coming from the RME ADI-2 I'm quite happy with the more natural and detailed sound that I am hearing. I agree with all you had to say and it's nice to see others appreciate gear that I quite like myself.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and you kind words of support my friend 😊👍
I’m a few steps behind you. I just moved up to the RME ADI-2 from the Audiolab M-DAC Mini, and find it a big improvement. But, as Tarun says, with my set up, going to a more expensive DAC like the Pontus II would be wasting money (assuming I had that kind of money). However, I am no longer a doubter about splashing cash on a better DAC if one can afford it.
I found the RME ADI-2 very shallow as far as soundstage. Had very little depth and I thought it had some grain on the highs. How is the Pontus II compared to that ? Thanks
@@Nightjar726 Yeah I’ve noticed that as well when listening to the ADI-2 in place of the Pontus. With headphones the ADI-2 sounds much more in my head and the stage is very flat. With the Pontus the stage is more in front of me and I find the imaging to be more clear. The treble on the Pontus is more detailed than the ADI-2 but presented in a smooth way that is not fatiguing
@@TheCangle thanks man. Yes EXACTLY what I heard with the RME. I was kinda disappointed with all the praise it gets. But funny enough I got a Benchmark DAC3 lately which I have been auditioning for over a month and while it sounds more real ( timbre) than the RME , it has a flat soundstage as well. And still isn’t as real sounding as my Marantz.
I really want to try the Pontus or some denafrips dac.
Thanks
Another faultless well thought out review ... Becoming a channel well worth a look when trying to make decisions about audio hifi equipment ... Thanks ... 😎
Thank you RM 😊👍
G'day Tarun It's Shane from Australia. Nice video mate, I recently had the opportunity to have a good session with a terminator plus a friend of mine purchased. I found it a little analytical and digital for my tastes. I have a Luxman DA-06 which seems to hit the sweet spot for me. I also appreciated your comments on how you would pair this and with what system good practical suggestions. I love the channel and always look forward to the next. 🎧😁👍
G’day to you too Shane. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍
Fantastic presentation and review! Subscribed! I'm looking at the Pontus 2 or Gustard X26 Pro as my end game DAC. I'm leaning toward the Pontus because I've tried several Delta Sigma based DACs and have felt a bit underwhelmed. Thanks so much for your thoughtful explanation.
Than you MM. I greatly appreciate your support. Good luck with the DAC hunt 😊👍
I'm having the same dilemma! Were you able to compare? Did you make a choice?
@@daanw82 Actually I went in a different direction. I bought the Pontus 2 but in all honesty, I really couldn't tell the difference between it and other dacs like the Topping D90 or RME ADI. From what I've read and from talking to other reviewers, the differences are best heard with headphones. I'm not a headphone guy. I listen through speakers like the LS50 Metas. I stuck with the Pontus for a few months then decided I just wasn't satisfied with spending $1700 on a DAC that didn't really sound much better than less expensive DACs. So, I sold it and got almost the entire original price for it. These DACs hold their value like Apple products. I went back to my D90 until the FiiO K9 Pro ESS was released. Tried it and found the sound to be very appealing. Sold my D90 and have been happily listening to the K9 for a couple weeks. It cost half the price of the Pontus, which was a nice bonus. Lots of reviews for the K9 ESS on TH-cam. Check them out before making any decisions. Hope this helps.
@@MadMaxx1977 Thank you for your reply, yeah this helps a lot! I was already worried if i could hear any difference.
@@daanw82Glad to help!
Hi Tarun - I took delivery of my own Pontus II this week. I was surprised and pleased to see your review. I've been using a Border Patrol DAC SEi for the past several years. I've always been happy with the sound. I think that I just became curious about the Denafrips DACs and decided to take a chance. Obviously mine is not yet broken in but some qualities are already evident. The Pontus II has tauter, better-defined bass performance than the Border Patrol DAC. It provides more detail and a cleaner sound, much like increasing the focus on a telescope. Most importantly for me it avoids that lean, clinical sound presented by some DACs. But will it replace my beloved Border Patrol? That remains to be seen. As usual, your description of the equipment under review is spot-on. Thanks for another brilliant review.
Hi Gary, very kind of you to say and much appreciated. Great to hear about your experiences. Thank you for sharing them 😊👍
Hi Gary, did it replace your Border Patrol?
Thanks for another great review tarun, I've been following denafrips products keenly, you are correct with your findings, at the price I don't think they have much to worry about.
Thank you Paul. I appreciate you sharing your experiences 😊👍
Upgraded from Ares to Pontus a few weeks ago - my experience is just like what you describe. If you're reading this, and thinking of getting the Ares - just jump up to the Pontus.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Nathaniel 😊👍
Hi Tarun,
I took delivery of a Pontus 11 this week. I just thought I’d make a comment that when I initially plugged it in I thought It had a fault.
I emailed Denafrips customer service with a heavy hart. I had a little play with cables and the fault lay there not with the dac!
I checked my email and they had personally responded already! That was very reassuring. Obviously I responded saying there was no fault.
It’s replaced a Topping D70 and is in a totally different league. Much bigger sound stage and the bass, wowsers.
Cheers
Hi Jim, great to hear about your experiences. Thank you for posting. I hope the Pontus II gives you many years of musical satisfaction 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun and apologies for my misspelling of the word heart. Obviously I’m excited about this product, Ha
@@jim586 you should see how many typos I do 😊👍
I ordered one last wednesday. Can't wait for it to arrive :)
Please allow a decent run-in and then let me know how you get on 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Will do! Going to pair it with a Lumin U1 Mini streamer.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Forgot to tell you about the rest of the equipment. Audio Analogue AACento amplifier with PMC Twenty5.24 speakers on IsoAcoustics Gaia II.
@@johanekelof2971 that is a very nice system you have there. I think the Pontus II will we a worthy addition 😊
Brilliant!!!
Thank you Richard 😊👍
Brilliant review as always, might be time to upgrade from the ares I I !
Thank you Michael 😊
Wonderful thanks
Thank you Cathy 😊👍
Tarun, I have just purchased one. I can't stop smiling....
That is great Simon. It is a great DAC which gets better once fully run in 😊👍👍
Crazy good!
Thank you TR 😊👍
Thank you for another great review Tarun. I would be very interested to know how good it is specifically with DSD files.
The DSD also goes through the ladder network which is rare on a R2R design. My DSD files sounded great 😊👍
Thanks Tarun for another high quality review.
My problem is that what continually makes manufacturers look good is the chip designers. If we look at test instruments, scopes AWGs, etc. we can see two things, one a marked improvement in specs and capability and, two, lower prices over shorter and shorter spans of time.
There's no reason to believe that this trend won't continue and components like DACs will show the greatest improvements over time. Sure, we could say wait ten years but then you'd be without a DAC but I don't think that's the case, I think waiting a year might show some real DAC improvements. Ladder networks are pretty cheap and, while you could go crazy on resistors, after a point no one can hear hear the difference, I've challenged people to prove that and none have to date. In fact if we go to supplier indexes like Mouser we can find high quality 0.1% resistors at very reasonable prices. It won't be long before Shiit or one of the other bargain companies implements most of what you see here at a much lower price.
As for power supplies, I'm not so sure that we can hear all those changes, 10,000 uF is 10,000 uF, can someone hear the difference between a bank of smaller caps? They'd have to prove it to me in a DBT and nobody has done that yet. Once that noise floor hits a certain level it's basically beyond human hearing and once we start talking about levels below 110 db, well, no one can hear that and I seriously doubt it's going to make a substantial difference relative to the added expense. In fact it might even be cheaper for manufacturers to use smaller caps. They buy them in bulk and the more they get the cheaper they get.
Again, thanks for another well done review.
Thank you mosfet500. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍
I am looking at the Terminator Plus but good to see the value in this one. Thanks!
Thank you for watching Lonnie 😊
Maybe consider the Holo Audio May DAC. Everyone is raving about that and it’s under £6k in its best form.
Nice to see a review of this DAC from you. It would be great if you got in a Holo Audio or - as I see somebody else has brought up - an Audio-GD DAC at some point, as they're also R2R DACs at a comparable price and performance bracket to DENAFRIPS' stuff.
Thank you. I am working on getting them in 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Wonderful! I'll hope for the best for you.
@@ruusta8042 thank you my friend 😊👍
Love your videos as always. Can't wait to see your JBL 4309 review. I'm leaning towards the Yamaha AS1200 but I'm not ordering it until I see your 4309 review. If it appears like the Yammie is a good choice then the question would be Aries 2 or Pontus 2, like you said it'll depend if your speakers will be able to take advantage of the performance level of the Pontus and I hope it's something you'll touch on in the review. Thanks as always!
Thank you JB. Not long to wait for that review 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 awesome thx for the update. I was literally just listening to your smsl d1se video.
Great review again !
* add on , on those chip dacs the power supply is still based on miniature components (specially the caps and resistors) and from what i'm observing the big difference comes from that. It's impossible to have a full develop sound with it. Not enough energy so they have to make a trade off, big enrgy but lack of transparency or transparency but no energy. Plus the small stuff doesn't sound so good.
I changed some coupling caps on a chip dac that i'm tweaking, better caps tends to increase the soundstage and the layering of things and the decae. seperating with different regulation the chips on the dac gives more clarity, the black background. Better resistors tends to free the transients. My guess better impedance matching but i'm still investigating.
Thank you Yannick. There is no better way to gain experience than trying it yourself as see what works 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 😀 it's so fun.
Have you tried a raspberry pie ?
(I'm glue to my phone waiting for the mail guy to deliver mine)
@@yannick930 I haven’t but it is something I should look at when I get a chance 😊
Taren! Thank U very much for those honest comments on whether it is worth for someone should shell out an additional $1000 to get the PONTUS 11, based on the law of diminishing returns. I plan to purchase the Aresa II instead of the Pontus II
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Another great review, Tarun! Your videos don't come frequently enough!
On one of your other videos I mentioned that I have an RME ADI-2 FS DAC. I've since replaced it with the Denafripes Ares 2 and the difference is night and day as it plays through my B&W 705s2 speakers and Peachtree 300 integrated amplifier that loops out to a tube-based OTL Schiit Valhalla 2, which acts as a tube preamp stage to the Peachtree and brings even more richness to the overall sound. That said, I believe my present configuration has enough resolution overhead to realize the gains offered by the Denafrips Pontus II, but was hoping you might be willing to share your thoughts about it.
Thank you my friend. I should be getting the RME ADI-2 FS in for review. It has been delayed due to the AKM file impacting on availability of stock. I am looking forward to reviewing them 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Tarun, I have the RME and think it's great. When you get the item for review please ensure that you have the latest firmware update AND do a 'bit-perfect' test on the input(s) by means of the downloadable files form the RME website. I can't see how, if it passes said tests it can be bettered by the Pontus -or any other DAC. After all all 0s and 1s are the same...aren't they?
@@richardstevens8548 thank you for the heads up Richard 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, have you been able to get the RME in for review? Anxiously looking forward to this😊 They already implemented a new EES chip instead of the AKM one. Thanks
@@ionutplesea5693 I had to push it back due to the summer break but it should be coming soon 😊
hi Tarun, i have a NAD D1050 which is now 8 years old. its a marvelous all rounder. hard to beat for its original $600 price point. you are right a good DAC can be had now for $500. digital has come of age. any modest DAC made since 2013 can out perform a DAC made in the 90's not sure if the Aires 2 could beat it.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Rudy 😊
Thanks for another excellent review. I enjoyed how you can delineate the nuances in sound differences that others just glean over. I have the Pontus 1+ (upgrades DSP) but without the PSU and other minor changes. It take several months before the unit "burn-in" to have a smoother and detailed top end. I don't have on hand other DAC of similar level to compare but it very much matches with description. I previously had a Hegel Rost and really love its treble where cymbals actually sounded like brass verse steel but not sure if that was due to the amplifier.
Hi Louie, thank you for watching and your kind words of support. Great to learn about your experiences. The Pontus II is quite an upgrade from the internal DAC in the Rost. Still I suspect that the symbols sounding like brass may be due to a problem elsewhere 😊👍
Oh no 🤦🏻♂️ now I’m going to have to buy one . I have a Cambridge audio edge a. To be honest the inbuilt dac is very good but just intrigued how the Pontus will sound .
Would love to see you review the edge one day to get your thoughts .
Thanks for the great review it’s made my mind up👍
That is great Nathan. Thank you for watching and the suggestion 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 would be nice and fitting for your channel, 😜
If you haven't made the buy yet, try contacting Musicraft or Willow Tree Audio to see if they'd be able to help you with a home demo.
Just sold the Qutest and bought the Pontus II and It is clearly better. It is less digital and just reveals your music in a natural way. The Qutest was vey good especially with my Aurelic streamer but so so with the Cambridge Audio CXC transport. The Pontus II is a giant leap in enjoyment:)
Thank you buddy. Good to know 😊
Gotcha, my next DAC
Cool 😎
wow super review.def going with pontus now vs quetest. the sd chips definitely gave a harshness to them .interesting you liked the kt88 s with Pontus. I have found retubing my Prima Luna prologue 5 with Gold Lions really made an improvement.
btw do u like the new pro acs with the ribbon tweeters?
Thank you Todd. Very kind. I am hoping to do some tube rolling with the Willsenton R8 😊👍
Good review as always Tarun.
BTW I have been made aware that the Mission 770 Freedom is to be reissued. I had 770's through the 80's into the 2000's. Would be of interest if you get the opportunity to review them.....Cheers.
Thank you filo. I appreciate the heads up 😊👍
This guy is articulate!
Thank you Des. Much appreciated 😊👍
The modern R-2R dac's are fantastic. I personally haven't heard any Denafrips models but do own both the Musician Pegasus and Soekris 1321. I am sure that both these would give the Aries II a run for its money, both being in the same sort of price bracket.
I am in the process of removing any sort of switching converters from both dacs and have already achieved a little more resolution on the Soekris.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊
Bought one today based on your recommendation. amazing DAC. Wonder how Terminator would be like
That’s great. Thank you for letting me know. I hope for review more of their products. So hopefully will find out at some point 👍😊👍
Thx for the review. Try the new Merason Frerot, the Burr Brown TDA1794a is hybrid between R2R and oversampling. You can later on expand it with the POW1 linear power supply, but already with the switching stock supply it sounds much better than anything I tried from Topping, Burson, Denafrips, etc. With LPSU it is closer to the Pontus in terms of pricing. It is also made in Europe/Switzerland and you can just get it for a demo from a dealer. This might well be the new reference dac to beat at 1k that really brings you a lot of the total magic of 4-5k Dacs. The difference with their own 4-5k reference Merason Dac1 is very small when you use it with a clean source, because the Frerot has no reclocker (to save cost). I know someone who changed his Metrum Adagio for the Dac1, it is that good. He also put the Frerot in his system and was amazed on how close the Frerot was. He uses an Innuos reclocker and also had the Denafrips Terminator for a short time. Because it has no reclocker, I use the Frerot (Dac1’s little brother) with the Matrix Spdif 2 reclocker to convert my noisy PC usb signal to Spdif. This is also a device well worth it’s money and brings you the technological advantage of reclocking technology used in dacs like the topping D90 etc. This combo finally brings hi-end CD player quality to the PCM/streaming world for me, without the digital glare/hardness that all other Dacs had and without the lack of presence/coherence and excitement that the cheaper R2R dacs have. Also read the few online reviews, it is still pretty much under the radar 😉! I
Thank you Gerard. I appreciate you sharing your experiences. I haven’t come across the Merason DAC1. Thank you for the heads up 😊
Hi,
Do you still have the DAC FREROT?
I'm about to buy it with POW1.
I'm hesitating between Frerot + Pow 1 and R2R DAC like Pontus 2 or Holo Audio Cyan 2.
Best regards.
Thank you very much for this review. This was the case that now im a owner of an denafrips pontus 2. its burning in since one week and its incredible!!!
Weighty , organic, holographic big soundstage and very smooth!!!
I love it!! The difference to the build in dac in an bluesound node 3 streamer or an audiolab 6000a play is very very big. Its kind of a different thing, not comparable!!
I totally agree. The Pontus II is not cheap but even just a few years ago this DAC would have cost multiples more 😊👍
Did you have any issues with shipping?
Thanks for the input!
I've been looking for a DAC to upgrade for my 6000a and I'm glad you've heard a noticeable difference with the Denfrips in that Amp.
I was afraid that Pontus was going to be overkill for Audiolab 6000CDT and 6000a.
Nice review!
Would love to hear a comparison with Schiit Yggy...
Thank you. I have sent them an email but need to follow up 😊👍
Beautiful review as always………, and just what I needed to push me towards placing an order for one next week.
Thanks young man.
Thank you for watching and your support my friend. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍👍
Nice, detailed review. Btw. The Filters (slow/fast) only work in Oversampling mode. NOS has no selectable filters activated as you seem to imply around 9:10.
I was aware of that. Apologies, if it wasn’t made clear 😊
Hi Tarun. Great review, but I wish that you could talk about the main differences between the Pontus II and the Chord Qutest - which I have but never feel in love with...
Thank you. I didn’t have the Qutest here 😊
Nice review. Short but sweet. :)
Would a simple passive volume control be more than good to use with this(or even the aries)?
A couple Side notes...
I can't shake this feeling that denafrips will be coming out with updated Ares this yr.
I've heard the Topping D70s is neck to neck with the ares II. It'd be nice to hear your opinion on that comparison...if u ever get a chance to get ur hands on the d70s.
Thank you buddy. I would like to review the Topping D70. As for a passive preamp, it can be a good choice if you keep cable lengths to a minimum and if the upstream and downstream components have a good impedance ratio.
Tarun, great review as always. I have a question about the synergy of the system with Deanfrips Pontus II. Other reviewers often refer to it as smooth sounding as opposed to more analytical and very detailed sounding Sigma Delta DACs. In my system I have a Naim Supernait 3 integrated amplifier and Harbeth M30.2 40th Anniversary speakers. It is a very natural sounding combination with a deep base and no harshness or brightness in the upper range. My current DAC is the Arcam irDAC with SBooster 12 V linear power supply. It is a great sounding DAC, but I think I can realise the full potential of my Naim-Harbeth combination with a higher quality DAC closer to their price range. Denafrips Pontus II is at the top of my list, but I am worried about my system sounding too smooth and rolled off considering that the Harbeth speakers are definitely not on the bright side. Should I perhaps consider a different type of DAC like the Chord Hugo 2?
Thank you Damir. I think you will get a significant upgrade from both the Hugo 2 and the Pontus II. I haven’t AB the two but the Hugo 2 may be more detailed whilst the Pontus II more natural. I wouldn’t describe either as smooth.
Hey, Tarun! Perfect review as always :)
In case you would have some time to answer this, I would be grateful:
I have ProAc Response 1.5 (later this model has evolved to D15, D18, D20). Currently I'm thinking about Exposure 3510 to power them so the question is which of the DACs I should get with it? Ares II or Pontus II?
Thank you my friend. You could get away with the Ares II but I would go to the Pontus II. Your system will be resolving enough to highlight the differences 😊👍
Thank you!
I congratulate you for the clarity of your explanation and experience, few say it as well as you. I have a dac pre box s2 digital and I would like you to tell me how much is the difference if you could say with a percentage with the pontus that or how much percent it would improve. I have an Amplifier Rotel with a pre Gas and a Q11 kef and where do you recommend me to upgrade?
Thank you Jorge. Hard to put a percentage on it as it depends on so many variables. There is a massive difference between the S2 Pre Box and the Pontus II as long as you have system revealing enough to highlight it. You have a well balanced system. The Pontus II would be overkill. If you are upgrading, I would start with speakers first 😊👍
Great review! 🙏 I wonder how my old Hegel HD25 compares with the Pontus II. Have you heard it?
Thank you for all excellent videos!
Thank you Björn. I haven’t heard the HD25 😊👍
Great review! Down to earth as usual. I like that you talk about system matching and diminishing returns. Indeed this is revealing, but the amp and speakers have to be up to the task! I think there is going to be a return to R2R ladder DACs amongst the audiophile crowd… or at least moving away from digital filters and FPGAs. Thanks for being down to earth (with your humble Chord Mojo), it’s a good reality check to realize we don’t all need to rush out and buy immediately. I’ve got a Hegel H120 and contemplating this as an upgrade. I think I’d notice it, but again as you say it’s borderline because Hegel’s are very good. Thanks for your insights as usually - no BS and very insightful. Strongly recommend!
Thank you Alex. I greatly appreciated your kind words of support. I think you are right. The FPGA DACs seemed to move the needle in performance in the last decade. The R2R ladder DACs are having a resurgence in this decade and for good reason. They seem to do certain things well that Delta Sigma DACs still struggle with. All this can only be good news for the consumer 😊👍👍
Much love from the Big Apple🇺🇸
Too you too Rene 😊👍
This one's obviously done the rounds a bit as it looked a bit grubby around all of the buttons. A bit of a shame really as it spoilt the image for me a bit. I have the Aries ll and have been thinking of upgrading to this. It obviously works in the same way as the Aries ll re the OS etc. Alas I can't seem to get mine to alter any of these settings. I'm using a optical Toslink so wonder if that has anything to do with it as I noticed your USB LED was lit up. You promised future video on connectors will be interesting. Keep up the good work, I always enjoy your videos.👍
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍
I bought this DAC and love it . This has much to do with your review. I am having a problem. I am being discreet hoping to get my problem resolved. I will keep you posted.
Thank you. I hope you get the issue resolved 😊
Great review Tarun! I just ordered the Pontus II. Since it doesn’t come with a power cable, what kind/type would you recommend? Thank you in advance and keep up the great work 😀 Best wishes from Belgium
Thank you Luk. I built my own power cables 😊👍
I just watched your video on making your own power cables ( becausse of your answer I remembered I saw it in your video list) and I am going to give it a go 😉
I can do this!
Tarun, I am Hifi lover for decades. I am Italian, living in London for 25 years now. I have Stanley Beresford in my system, with some special mods. The sound quality is amazing. I can let you try the modified Beresford DAC in your system if you want & if you are based in London. Marco Bianchi
Thank you Marco. That is so kind. Unfortunately, I am not based in or near London. Also, with the amount of gear I have to switch around, I would be nervous to have your pride and joy in my care. I really appreciate your generosity and thought though 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Tarun thank you for your reply. Absolutely, it makes total sense, I thought you were in London! I made A to B comparisons in my room of Denafrips Ares II vs Beresford modified, the Denafrips got trashed. I have 1973 Klipsch La Scalas for speakers, Transcription Audio 211 for power amp, Croft Charisma for pre-amp and Roksan DP1 for transport.
@@MrMarcolondonuk that must be some DAC you have. Thank you for sharing 😊👍
👍🥰Well let me just start out by saying you’re very handsome you speak so clearly and calmly excellent you are very knowledgeable and very trustworthy this will be my it’s Dac it’s just going to take me a good while to save up $2000. This was the Dac I was already interested in till your review sealed the deal for me👍💪🙏🏻
Thank you Steve. Extremely, kind of you to say. I hope when you get it, it does live up to expectations. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍👍
TQ for the review. 😬
Don’t you find that there are compromises with DACs? We want that analogue sound with R2R but we need to sacrifice a bit of the high extension and a smidge of the mids. No glossy sound like what we get from delta sigma DACs.
I found that the Pontus paired well with a good sounding tube amp. It shines there.
It think it varies on an individual design basis. I couldn’t say for sure but I think the Pontus II was a tad learner in the low mids that what I remember the Ares II to be. It is considerable better in a lot of other respects though 😊
Nice Dac, Great review. I wonder how that sounds against my Audio note dac 1.1x??
Thank you William 😊👍
I have been complaining about my sound system under several of your video, but now I'm basically certain that the first thing I'll do is buying a Pontus 12th anniversary edition.
That probably will give the biggest improvement; start with the source.
The speakers are very linear and they actually can go very deep. I just get a weird bump somewhere in the bass that I don't like. The Pontus can give more warmth in the mids, and that's what I really miss. It gives the music more body and soundstage; that I also really miss in my current setup.
Sounds like you will enjoy what the Pontus 12th does 😊
Currently own the Ares II. Im tempted to purchase the Pontus II & see what the differences are. If it’s really that much better, I’ll sell my Ares & keep the Pontus as my endgame.
You won’t regret a move to the Pontus.
@@bdmcn Update: Purchased one, absolutely no regrets. Soundstage above all is the biggest difference, with a nice pair of cans, this really takes you into the clouds.
@@robertreynolds2212 Congrats! Now you might consider the Iris DDC, if you don’t have it. I just got one and it allows me to use I2S to Pontus. The Iris transformed my sound again. A must, imo. There’s even more detail, presence and depth. Simply amazing. I’m truly at my endgame.
@@bdmcn I haven’t! Will definitely have to check it out.
@@robertreynolds2212 I’m running middle-of-the-road Supra USB from mac mini to Iris. Then a Supra I2S/HDMI from Iris to Pontus. I could probably eek out slightly better sound with a $400 HDMI, but I like the warmth/depth of the Supras. The addition of the Iris was not a subtle change, it was substantial, and def worth it to me. Good luck!
Woo! What a smooth review. Will the Pontus 2 be overkill for the Whardfedale Evo 4.4 paired with a Cayin LA34?
Thank you Oliver. You should be okay with the Ares II 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the reply. Cheers! :)
Tarun, awesome review. Do you plan on reviewing the Denafrip Venus II ? Thank you.
Thank you Vincent. Very kind. I hope to do that soon 👍😊👍
Hi! Tarun, I have the RME adi-2 fs dac, I like it + has additional features that a lot of dacs don't. With my Willsenton R8 Int, I have the Oppo bdp-105D player. I can use the RME dac and Oppo as a transport to play cd's.To note I have only recently found a solution to playing SACD on my Oppo with an outboard dac. One can purchase a box that converts to i2s for about about $50us, the Pontus II has a i2s connection which can connect from the Oppo to the dac via a HDMI to i2s cable, this will play your SACD collection with the external dac. The Ares II does not have this connection. Any SACD listener would benifit greatly with this connection on a seperate dac like the Ponus II . I have not heard it but the understanding is playing SACD on a cd /sacd player compared to using an outboard dac via i2s is like chalk and cheese. I do not know whether you are aware of this, but after listening to you review, thought I would bring it up...Regards from New Zealand.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing Alain 😊
Hmmm, outboard DAC’s, I suppose that ultimately I will have to invest in one but for now I think that the DAC in my Hegel H95 will do just fine. A great review as always, don’t think that there has been a bad video yet. It is good to see what is happening in the hifi world and keeping tabs on new products, but I do wonder whether my old ears would register sufficient improvement to warrant the outlay. For the moment I’ll stick to buying more music.
Thank you Martin. There is a very good DAC in the H95 😊👍
I’m wrestling with the same (good) dilemma. I have a Hegel H5 90 which also has a wonderful jacket and I’m wondering at what point the outboard DAC supersede what I’ve got already
@@paulroscelli2545 according to the U.K. distributor the 390 and 590 have a much better DAC than the models below 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hey thank you very much for your quick response. I really appreciate it by the way your videos are some of the best on the web.
@@paulroscelli2545 thank you Paul. Very kind of you 😊👍👍