Alvin (Vinshine) was the face of Denafrips, a no-nonsense person you would trust with your kids. This is something Denafrips will have to address, even though there's no reason it would affect the quality of their products. I've had the Pontus II and Gaia DDC for over 2 years and I just love this brand.
. I wish this was made in the USA but as long as they keep building these DACs at these prices, Denafrips need not worry about Alvin's face. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
@@hemispherecompensation I highly doubt it. I find Alvin as a man of the highest integrity. I can sense some disappointment in his video announcing the parting of ways. Same thing happened to OCD Mikey (USA based) where Mikey did not want to kowtow to Denafrips so they parted ways.. and OCD Mikey REFUSES to carry anything made in China anymore... A shame but that's his right. Sadly, I wish business ethics is valued by these manufacturers...
I’ve gotten off the DAC merry go round… I’m at the Denafrips Ares 12-1 DAC …and I’m good ……for now .😅 Pleasure meeting you again at Toronto Audiofest this past October. As for the kick starter..I’ll be in 👍👍
Great summarizing of the current state of DACs in this price bracket! Exactly what I was looking for. Your characterization of system matching is EXCELLENT. Thank you!
Jay, I love your "sommelier" approach in this review. With high end components, it really comes down to system synergy rather than a blanket "this is better than that".
Yeah..I have the original Pontus II with original firmware in a warmer system. I also have a recently-added Denafrips Iris DDC (with an LHY Linear Power Supply) attached to my Pontus via I²S and I think it sounds GREAT. Not sure how much better this Pontus 15th could sound over what I currently have ...but thanks for this upgraded Pontus Tutorial....It's been VERY informative and keeps me apprised of transitions in my current gear...It is always fun to learn and see positive change....(Maybe the upcoming Venus 15th would be a upgrade for me to look forward to! )
I too am a fan of cellists. Love the dead south a Canadian bluegrass band from Regina. Danny Kenyon plays a mean cello in place of the traditional stand up bass.
Yea, pontus is now basicly a venus 2 12th. I baught a Venus 15th...i already have a venus 2 12th but the venus 15th is basicly a T2!!! With all discounts i am at 3370€ for a Termintaor 2 Dac is crazy!
@@joenogueira2801 I was realy pissed as they launched the venus 2 12th.1...i didnt get this step at all. Was waiting a real long time till something new comes up and than it get replaced after half a year...was also waiting for new ddcs and bought the hermes 12th. Lately i baught a used terra master clock and the hermes realy improved and a switched from OS to NOS mode...the lag of detail was gone...almost to many details with the better clock...to much forward but with nos mode its realy nice. Im looking forward to get my venus 15th...its already on the way...but the downside is, my old venus 2 12th isnt that valuable anymore...but its still the better dac than the pontus 15th. higher quality caps and parts inside.
It’s not a Venus II, less tolerance on the resistors , 24bit DAC instead of 26 etc. But it’s based partly on the Venus. You see this even clearer on the new Venus since it’s in the bigger Terminator box.
I’ve been listening to you for the past few years and really appreciate your insights. Just a quick point about XLR connections. If your amplifier is fully balanced and differential, I’d recommend using XLR cables regardless of the cable length. As someone who has been building tube amps for many years and conducting lots of A/B testing, I’ve found that the best-sounding tube amplifiers, in my opinion, are those that avoid RC coupling altogether, regardless of how high-end the capacitors might be.
I have a Denafrips Terminator 15th coming, from a US Dealer in Maryland. He told me it is really the "old" Terminator Plus now. Hopefully Denafrips loostens the wallet and releases one for your review Jay, I think you do an excellent job of describing the sound for possible buyers. My Termi is replacing a 3 year old Venus II. Thank you for the review.
Love my Pontus II 12th, won’t be upgrading to 15th. Fed by an IRIS DDC, not a 12th Anniversary, won’t be updating that or my Forte IIIs to IVs. Actually very happy with my #1 rig, imagine that!! Pontus 15th a good option for someone upgrading overall system, e.g., delta sigma to R2R, or Ares to Pontus. 15th Anniversary looks to be a great buy on a Venus in Pontus clothing. Love the Denafrips R2R house sound, organic detailed, non-fatiguing analog like presentation with no tape hiss or vinyl cracks and pops!
I think I get what you mean with “sweetness” - I call it lifelike. It happens I believe when timber is natural and note weight, resolution/detail and imaging is on point.
Thanks for ‘lifting the lid’ Jay. Good to see that Denafrips still produce excellent products. I agree with the points you make about the brand. My setup comprises of the original T+, Gaia DDC and Athena pre amplifier, now Shanling ET3 and Roon via MacMini, active ATC 50 loudspeakers. Lack of a remote has been no issue with equipment within easy reach and balanced cables throughout. Looking at the Venus 15 pictures - it looks identical to the Terminator. I feel the customer engagement has taken a drop with taking Vinshine out of the loop. I flagged up the basics of the new Denafrips website looking all over the place when browsing with an iPad, which they only recently fixed. As an aside on the ET3: in my setup it worked even better connected via the DDC via optical with 4x over sampling than a direct I2S connection to the DAC.
I’m looking into purchasing the Pontus. I’m actually glad I waited, I can get the Venus in the Pontus package. We need a video on cables. Need some guidance on types of cables, speaker, power, and all other cables. I don’t want too ton of money if not needed.
It's now almost a Venus II (11th or earlier) with the exception of the R2R ladder resistor tolerance in the Venus is 0.005%, they're 0.01% in the Pontus range.
The Pontus 15 is $3450 In Australia phfffft The used Pontus 2 is selling for $1850-$2300 If you can find one !! Where does leave me ? Well it leaves me and a lot of other people buying other dacs at reasonable prices .
Denafrips still stands by the products the pontus 15 is slightly warm where you get your hearing from ? I put side by side with the LAIV dac and even if the pontus was $3k it’s built great and sounds good and my system is not warm sounding before installing the dac it’s very well balanced all around.
As of writing this, my Pontus 15th has 534 Hours of warming(burn-in) time so far, and has changed quite a bit in some key areas. The most important change that has occurred is in the bass dept. It digs much deeper and has more drive than out of the box new. The top end has gotten more resolute and sweeter at the same time. These Denafrips dacs take quite a long while to break-in, especially when there's silver wiring involved. Mine is still evolving, but at a much slower pace now. Excellent component! My search for a good dac is over. A Hegel H-190, a pair of Magnepan MG-12s, a Wiim Ultra streamer, and my Pontus 15th all wired up in a full loom of Duelund copper in cotton cables, are really making my music a joy to listen to. That hasn't happened in a long time. Can't stop listening. Thanks for the review Jay.
Outstanding as always Jay. I'm a budgetphile and recently bought an Enyo 15th (My first R2R DAC) and I was blown away by how much better it was vs. my SMSL, Topping & Schiit DACs. The layout of my room has the speakers 15 ft apart and I'm 12 ft away from their them. The Enyo filled in all 15 ft and added depth for the first time ever. Consider me a Denafrips fan going forward. Thank you and keep up the great work. You rock!
What I wanted and didn't hear is a direct comparison with the Pontus II or 12th anniversary to the 15th. That would be critical to deciding to upgrade or not. This just made me confused on this issue. Not going to spend another $2k if I dont know how it compares to my Pontus II with 12 upgrade.
Pontus II and 12th gen is warmer than the 15th. 15th gives you an illusion of a better resolution with it's more airy/transparent sound. I'd say it's closer to what I've experienced with the Terminator and the Terminator plus than the Pontus generations
It’s not a Venus II 12th in disguise. The Resistors in the R2R ladder has less accuracy, the DAC is 24bit not 26 etc. The new Pontus also weighs considerably more than the Venus II.
Another great review. Yeah, Denafrips should do better in the look department so that their gears can be more furniture look. They should also provide remote control.
Jay I love your channel and what you do for sure! But technically speaking these are not “generations “ but years the DACS have existed so like a fine wine vintage. 12th was the 12th year those dacs were made not generations. Generations in hardware do occur but usually have massive changes even to the looks and layout and hardware software. Anyhow Cheers!
I find it unusual this upgrading of mid tier products. You’d think they’d focus on the flagship model more. Of course, they are playing to people with different budgets.
Now I'm curious about my Venus II and it's upgrade. I could not justify the price of the Terminator of that time without hearing it. It was a fair amount larger too. I played with reclockers and my Gaia is in storage for lack of rack space. I was curious about clocking with the Terminator but couldn't hear one.
Refarding the physical appearance, I much prefer the money to be spent on the circuit design and quality components rather than bling bling on the outside. So I much prefer the Denafrips approach
Actual customers didn't have a problem shelling out the money for the product. The notion that they should lower prices because they got rid of their distribution is dumb. The market is the market. That they gave a huge boost to the 15th gen is a gigantic BONUS, and a BIG 'thank you' to their base.
The timing coincided pretty closely with LAiV entering the market, with all its rave reviews (hype train if you wish to call it that), so it feels to me as much a competitive response as anything.
Pontus II with OG firmware has been widely reviewed to be the more full bodied of the line up (predating 12 and 15th generations). One of the things I disliked in my Ares2 was the lean lower mids and forwardness and the Pontus II was the total cure. So while it makes sense to improve quality for money and bring the Pontus in line with the general Denafrips house sound, I do think it’s a shame that this sound signature option is now gone. I’ll be keeping my Pontus II or if I do upgrade it will likely be to another brand.
❤❤❤ hello Jay longtime friend of yours here. Would you recommend this DAC with the Griffin Diablo 120 integrated amplifier? A lot of reviewers say it’s a little bit on the dark side. Will just bring it up more to a neutral more sparkle in the treble clearer mid range. Your suggestion is very valuable to me.❤❤❤❤❤ thank you
@Jayiyagi I was referring to the audio note kit 2.1, wasn't that the one that you did the video on which was "my favorite high-end dac for half the price"
I think owners of Denafrips are a bit shady... To blow off Alvin Chee of Vinshine Audio was just stunning.... Alvin put Denafrips on the map and he is absolutely a man of HIGHEST integrity. Love the product, do not like the owners / culture of the organization.....
Alvin is no doubt amazing, but at the end of the day it was most likely a business decision that Denafrips had every right to make. If their support system is problematic and they lose customers because of it, then they'll have to suffer the consequences of that decision. I am happy that Alvin and Vinshine did at least pick up Laiv though.
What about the 16th edition to come for the DAC of the month club? Well, I'm considering it. I asked them about substituting the BNC input for a RCA, if you remember the early Ares had two RCA inputs, the cost is an addition al $99.
I was sold on the Pontus 15th but then it was compared to may and laiv dacs, so now i am confused on what to get :) I got a Rega Aethos and the triangle magellan duettos sw2 speakers and i use a bluesound node n130. If any of you got a suggestion let me hear it, i am abit treble sensetive and would love to dial it a bit down.
A recording engineer. An audio technician. A former high end hi-fi retail sales rep. A student of neuro science. A TH-cam hi-fi reviewer. Yet can’t differentiate between 15th “generation” and 15th anniversary edition. 😒😖🤣🙃😊
This is something fairly typical. It keeps your engineers busy when you're not sure what new ground breaking product to design next. I signed up for the kickstarter, big fan of the cello.
At first glance the design of LAiV is pretty and fancy, but in my opinion it's not really a good, timeless industrial design. The Denafrips might be a bit boring, but for the long term I think it's better. It gets out of the way. A good example of great, timeless industrial design would be Nagra.
I have the LaiV sitting beside the monolithic alloy brute that is the Denafrips Athena pre, both have their charms but the LAiV finishing and industrial design attention to detail is another level.
Too bad, I have a very revealing and forward system, speakers similar to a focal kanta, so i guess i have to get the holo may spring then, thanks for this informative review cheers
@@Jayiyagi My hope is when a consumer is making a purchase at this level that the manufacture is using a discrete output or at least a very high quality op-amp. Too often I see manufactures utilizing generic 40 year old N5532 or N5534 op-amps in their output stage while asking top-shelf prices. It's my audio pet-peeve and just drives me nuts! The Pontus 15th looks like such a nice product my hope they didn't skimp on the output stage. LAiV audio tells me they don't use ANY opamps in Harmony DACs output. I'm not sure how they do this and I know its a different price point but could explain the difference in sound you hear. I do sure appreciate the Pontus build quality!
This way they only have to develop a new Terminator each time and kick the rest of the line up a step down the ladder. That saves a lot of development cost.
Whoever buys a retail version needs to lift the lid to make sure this is actually what they get... The cynic in me tells me this might just be in the review item?
I wont consider a denafrips product after what they did to Alvin. He built the brand for them and as soon as it started being profitable they kicked him to the curb. I can see why OCD mikey dumped this brand too.
@@Jayiyagi What other purpose could it possibly provide then? About as minor a complaint that anyone could come up with, but at the same time it's silly that it's there.
An opportunity for new buyers, but totally destroys the resale value for existing Pontus owners. I feel like they should offer us a trade in credit of some kind.
Why? Your product still works and does the job it did when you paid for it doesn't it? If so, your statement simply doesn't make sense...to me at least.
Does Apple offer a trade-in credit for iPhone 12 Pro users when they release the iPhone 16? Does Microsoft offer a trade-in credit for the Xbox One when they release the Xbox Series S?
So you prefer to have Denafrips jack up the price every time they launch an upgraded version of an existing model ? That way you would pay more for the new model even if you get a few bucks more selling your used unit !
@@gerihifiDSD recording is possible, Octave Records and some others do so. Editing in DSD is not possible, its converted to DXD (32 bit PCM) and converted back to DSD
@@Jayiyagi These are two different issues. I have a good experience with native DSD: it is the best sound from the moment the DSD is native, that is to say when the digital recorder records directly in DSD. And no background noise coming from the tapes. And the dynamics are exceptional. If you want to have an idea, listen to SACDs from the PentaTone brand for example. Native DSD is ultra airy, natural, precise, and sumptuous (not to be confused with a PCM recording converted to DSD, as on some SACDs). But be careful not to edit the NATIVE DSD recording: you would be forced to convert it in PCM, and you would lose the incomparable time resolution of 2.8224 MHz (64 times that of the CD). I assure you: it is the best! It is not for nothing that it is Sony and Philips, who have a long experience of digital, that they invented this format. Might as well record with the best technology! ;).
Hi Jay, very good and informative review. You keep improving. One note: the Pontus 15th is not a 2-box product as you stated. That would mean that it's power supply is completely separated in a 2nd chassis from the dac itself. The Pontus 15th is actually a 2-compartment dac in a single box. The intent of the design of course trying to separate the power supply from the dac itself as much as possible in a single box. This is still a great design which reduces the product cost versus having two boxes; but it's important to make the distinction. Keep up the good work.
I bought my Enyo 15th + Iris 12th from AliExpress, $1525 CAD all in. I could care less who the seller is, as long as price + shipping is satisfactory and the seller is reputable.
Before buying this DAC, listen to comparisons of this DAC with 3 other DACs which was done by Harley from Pearl Acoustics 😉😉 It was a revelation for me. Enough to make me sell my Pontus II and get an AD1865 multi-bit R2R based DAC. Don’t throw away your money.
Denafrips still stands by the products the pontus 15 is slightly warm where you get your hearing from ? I put side by side with the LAIV dac and even if the pontus was $3k it’s built great and sounds good and my system is not warm sounding before installing the dac it’s very well balanced all around.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
*Don't forget to consider supporting the Kickstarter for a chance to win the Pontus 15th R-2R DAC! or should I say the Venus 12th 🤔*
Songe Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1669379432/songe-le-violoncelle-au-coeur-dune-reverie
*Some of the following may be affiliate links*
Denafrips Pontus 15th DAC: www.denafrips.com/product-page/denafrips-pontus-15th-r2r-dac?ref=JAYLEE
Denafrips Venus 15th DAC: www.denafrips.com/product-page/denafrips-venus-15th-dac-pre-oder?ref=JAYLEE
Other Denafrips DACs: www.denafrips.com/category/dac?ref=JAYLEE
LAIV Harmony DAC: www.laiv.audio/product-page/harmony-dac (use code: *jayiyagiofficial* for $50 off)
Holo Audio DACs: www.kitsunehifi.com/product-category/brands/holo-audio/
Related Videos:
Podcast with Vincent about Songe: th-cam.com/video/PtDw4VIUiIY/w-d-xo.html
Shanling ET3 Review: th-cam.com/video/24FaMLMM-A4/w-d-xo.html
Aric Tube Motherlode XL Pre-amp review: th-cam.com/video/Ai5urd_KoU8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=rBL7GXlcKdCOYsMX
AGD Audion Monoblock review: th-cam.com/video/26bLvCAklHk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=eocz71tbsWR4RqZD
MonAcoustic Platimon revisited: th-cam.com/video/yA07x1AIFas/w-d-xo.html
MonAcoustic Platimon review: th-cam.com/video/OjDA3o7xUcE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xvO9t3lck5V3VDww
Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi
follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/
follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial
Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: th-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html
Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3
Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/
acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/
acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM
BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ
amzn.to/3chBuFZ
other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1
amzn.to/30bsUCH
my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM
0:00 Songe Kickstarter
0:57 Throw back: Denafrips Pontus R-2R DAC
2:45 Is the Pontus 15th DAC an UPGRADE?
7:11 Vinshine Audio Farewell to Denafrips
8:39 Denafrips Build Quality & Features
14:23 Denafrips Sound Quality Review
19:00 Holo Audio VS LAIV VS Denafrips DACs
#hifi #audiophile #homeaudio
Done, exciting to receive the finale album, good luck! 😊
@@gerihifimany thanks!
Love it when you make multiple comparisons, it gives us a point of reference.
Yes, unlike most audio magazines, which are clearly afraid to anger any of their advertisers.
Thanks Jay for your support.
Alvin (Vinshine) was the face of Denafrips, a no-nonsense person you would trust with your kids. This is something Denafrips will have to address, even though there's no reason it would affect the quality of their products. I've had the Pontus II and Gaia DDC for over 2 years and I just love this brand.
. I wish this was made in the USA but as long as they keep building these DACs at these prices, Denafrips need not worry about Alvin's face.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
Is he? He dropped Denafrips for Laiv, which was formed by ex-Denafrips employees. More like, he stole your kids to set up his own shop. Greed.
@@hemispherecompensation I highly doubt it. I find Alvin as a man of the highest integrity. I can sense some disappointment in his video announcing the parting of ways. Same thing happened to OCD Mikey (USA based) where Mikey did not want to kowtow to Denafrips so they parted ways.. and OCD Mikey REFUSES to carry anything made in China anymore... A shame but that's his right. Sadly, I wish business ethics is valued by these manufacturers...
I’ve gotten off the DAC merry go round…
I’m at the Denafrips Ares 12-1 DAC …and I’m good ……for now .😅
Pleasure meeting you again at Toronto Audiofest this past October.
As for the kick starter..I’ll be in 👍👍
Nice review Jay. Now we need a Venus 15 review! I like your comments relative to which system and DAC's you should use which is very helpfu.
Great summarizing of the current state of DACs in this price bracket! Exactly what I was looking for. Your characterization of system matching is EXCELLENT. Thank you!
I agree. This was the way to go. Consumers win all the way around. Bravo Denefrips!
Jay, I love your "sommelier" approach in this review. With high end components, it really comes down to system synergy rather than a blanket "this is better than that".
Yeah..I have the original Pontus II with original firmware in a warmer system. I also have a recently-added Denafrips Iris DDC (with an LHY Linear Power Supply) attached to my Pontus via I²S and I think it sounds GREAT. Not sure how much better this Pontus 15th could sound over what I currently have ...but thanks for this upgraded Pontus Tutorial....It's been VERY informative and keeps me apprised of transitions in my current gear...It is always fun to learn and see positive change....(Maybe the upcoming Venus 15th would be a upgrade for me to look forward to! )
I too am a fan of cellists. Love the dead south a Canadian bluegrass band from Regina. Danny Kenyon plays a mean cello in place of the traditional stand up bass.
Greetings J, I never get board nor less appreciative of your honesty & unbiased listening test,thank you...🇯🇲🇯🇲🇬🇧👊🏾.
Yea, pontus is now basicly a venus 2 12th.
I baught a Venus 15th...i already have a venus 2 12th but the venus 15th is basicly a T2!!! With all discounts i am at 3370€ for a Termintaor 2 Dac is crazy!
You'd be very pissed off if you had just purchased a T2 before the Venus 15th came out!
@@joenogueira2801 I was realy pissed as they launched the venus 2 12th.1...i didnt get this step at all. Was waiting a real long time till something new comes up and than it get replaced after half a year...was also waiting for new ddcs and bought the hermes 12th. Lately i baught a used terra master clock and the hermes realy improved and a switched from OS to NOS mode...the lag of detail was gone...almost to many details with the better clock...to much forward but with nos mode its realy nice.
Im looking forward to get my venus 15th...its already on the way...but the downside is, my old venus 2 12th isnt that valuable anymore...but its still the better dac than the pontus 15th. higher quality caps and parts inside.
It’s not a Venus II, less tolerance on the resistors , 24bit DAC instead of 26 etc. But it’s based partly on the Venus. You see this even clearer on the new Venus since it’s in the bigger Terminator box.
I’ve been listening to you for the past few years and really appreciate your insights. Just a quick point about XLR connections. If your amplifier is fully balanced and differential, I’d recommend using XLR cables regardless of the cable length. As someone who has been building tube amps for many years and conducting lots of A/B testing, I’ve found that the best-sounding tube amplifiers, in my opinion, are those that avoid RC coupling altogether, regardless of how high-end the capacitors might be.
I have a Denafrips Terminator 15th coming, from a US Dealer in Maryland. He told me it is really the "old" Terminator Plus now. Hopefully Denafrips loostens the wallet and releases one for your review Jay, I think you do an excellent job of describing the sound for possible buyers. My Termi is replacing a 3 year old Venus II. Thank you for the review.
Love my Pontus II 12th, won’t be upgrading to 15th. Fed by an IRIS DDC, not a 12th Anniversary, won’t be updating that or my Forte IIIs to IVs. Actually very happy with my #1 rig, imagine that!! Pontus 15th a good option for someone upgrading overall system, e.g., delta sigma to R2R, or Ares to Pontus. 15th Anniversary looks to be a great buy on a Venus in Pontus clothing. Love the Denafrips R2R house sound, organic detailed, non-fatiguing analog like presentation with no tape hiss or vinyl cracks and pops!
I think I get what you mean with “sweetness” - I call it lifelike. It happens I believe when timber is natural and note weight, resolution/detail and imaging is on point.
Thanks for ‘lifting the lid’ Jay. Good to see that Denafrips still produce excellent products. I agree with the points you make about the brand. My setup comprises of the original T+, Gaia DDC and Athena pre amplifier, now Shanling ET3 and Roon via MacMini, active ATC 50 loudspeakers. Lack of a remote has been no issue with equipment within easy reach and balanced cables throughout. Looking at the Venus 15 pictures - it looks identical to the Terminator.
I feel the customer engagement has taken a drop with taking Vinshine out of the loop. I flagged up the basics of the new Denafrips website looking all over the place when browsing with an iPad, which they only recently fixed.
As an aside on the ET3: in my setup it worked even better connected via the DDC via optical with 4x over sampling than a direct I2S connection to the DAC.
It is good to know that they keep improving their products , for the same price. It looks like they are giving a better bang for the buck.
good idea putting the iso pucks under the bookshelves👍
Will be debating between Pontus and Cyan 2 for a future purchase.
Why did you wait for 16 mins before you got to the real point, which was pushing the Laiv day. You people are incredible.
I am looking forward to watching the video and I would be interested to know when the Arendal Bookshelf 8 will be released❤❤
very soon!
Thx for the video, great as always. The collection will look great framed on my wall!
Thank you for the review. Namely for comparison to A10 and mentioning the rca is ok to use.
Awesome power supply.
I agree, I would rather the upgrade path be getting more for a similar amount of money
I’m looking into purchasing the Pontus. I’m actually glad I waited, I can get the Venus in the Pontus package. We need a video on cables. Need some guidance on types of cables, speaker, power, and all other cables. I don’t want too ton of money if not needed.
It's now almost a Venus II (11th or earlier) with the exception of the R2R ladder resistor tolerance in the Venus is 0.005%, they're 0.01% in the Pontus range.
The Pontus 15 is $3450
In Australia phfffft
The used Pontus 2 is selling for $1850-$2300
If you can find one !!
Where does leave me ?
Well it leaves me and a lot of other people buying other dacs at reasonable prices .
Denafrips still stands by the products the pontus 15 is slightly warm where you get your hearing from ?
I put side by side with the LAIV dac and even if the pontus was $3k it’s built great and sounds good and my system is not warm sounding before installing the dac it’s very well balanced all around.
As of writing this, my Pontus 15th has 534 Hours of warming(burn-in) time so far, and has changed quite a bit in some key areas. The most important change that has occurred is in the bass dept. It digs much deeper and has more drive than out of the box new. The top end has gotten more resolute and sweeter at the same time. These Denafrips dacs take quite a long while to break-in, especially when there's silver wiring involved. Mine is still evolving, but at a much slower pace now. Excellent component! My search for a good dac is over. A Hegel H-190, a pair of Magnepan MG-12s, a Wiim Ultra streamer, and my Pontus 15th all wired up in a full loom of Duelund copper in cotton cables, are really making my music a joy to listen to. That hasn't happened in a long time. Can't stop listening. Thanks for the review Jay.
Love to still see consumers get more for their money by some brands , denafrips being for sure one of them .
Good stuff Jay, as always.
I do have a feeling that while this review is being filmed, Denafrips is already working on Pontus 18th Gen.
I think they should really focus on getting all the changes together for an update more significant every few years, not every year like it is now
@@Jayiyagi At least they're doing it less frequently than SMSL. Those folks launch their DAC of the Month regularly !
Denifraos new flagship model will be called - Titanic!!
Outstanding as always Jay. I'm a budgetphile and recently bought an Enyo 15th (My first R2R DAC) and I was blown away by how much better it was vs. my SMSL, Topping & Schiit DACs. The layout of my room has the speakers 15 ft apart and I'm 12 ft away from their them. The Enyo filled in all 15 ft and added depth for the first time ever. Consider me a Denafrips fan going forward. Thank you and keep up the great work. You rock!
What I wanted and didn't hear is a direct comparison with the Pontus II or 12th anniversary to the 15th. That would be critical to deciding to upgrade or not. This just made me confused on this issue. Not going to spend another $2k if I dont know how it compares to my Pontus II with 12 upgrade.
and with the Denafrips Iris 12th ddc
Pontus II and 12th gen is warmer than the 15th. 15th gives you an illusion of a better resolution with it's more airy/transparent sound. I'd say it's closer to what I've experienced with the Terminator and the Terminator plus than the Pontus generations
@@Jayiyagi Thank You. Appreciate it.
Hi Jay Thanks as always. One quick question. The board on the bottom of the Pontus 15th , is that a Venus board or Venus ll ? Thanks
It’s not a Venus II 12th in disguise. The Resistors in the R2R ladder has less accuracy, the DAC is 24bit not 26 etc. The new Pontus also weighs considerably more than the Venus II.
Another great review. Yeah, Denafrips should do better in the look department so that their gears can be more furniture look. They should also provide remote control.
Love Youn! Great system testing track. Her rendition of Enter Sandman is just feakin awesome.
Jay I love your channel and what you do for sure! But technically speaking these are not “generations “ but years the DACS have existed so like a fine wine vintage. 12th was the 12th year those dacs were made not generations. Generations in hardware do occur but usually have massive changes even to the looks and layout and hardware software. Anyhow Cheers!
Holy S**t Jay! You have a lot of equipment! I know that some may be in for review, but I am nevertheless jealous.
What a great review, by any chance will you be reviewing the Hifi Rose RD160 DAC??? Keep up the excellent work.
maybe! Thanks
I find it unusual this upgrading of mid tier products. You’d think they’d focus on the flagship model more. Of course, they are playing to people with different budgets.
It's the 15th ANNIVERSARY Jay. Not the 15th generation
Would be great if you could record Belanger's performance on DSD directly too?
Now I'm curious about my Venus II and it's upgrade. I could not justify the price of the Terminator of that time without hearing it. It was a fair amount larger too. I played with reclockers and my Gaia is in storage for lack of rack space. I was curious about clocking with the Terminator but couldn't hear one.
Refarding the physical appearance, I much prefer the money to be spent on the circuit design and quality components rather than bling bling on the outside. So I much prefer the Denafrips approach
Hello Jay !
Wich one you would recommend with a Sugden A21SE class A ? Pair with An-J LX ?
Thank you 😊
Possible greed and other factors aside, I wish more of the lower tier power amplifiers were built with this kind of quality and attention to detail.
Actual customers didn't have a problem shelling out the money for the product. The notion that they should lower prices because they got rid of their distribution is dumb. The market is the market. That they gave a huge boost to the 15th gen is a gigantic BONUS, and a BIG 'thank you' to their base.
The timing coincided pretty closely with LAiV entering the market, with all its rave reviews (hype train if you wish to call it that), so it feels to me as much a competitive response as anything.
Very nice rundown and review Jay! Lots of good information in here guys! Well covered well reviewed!🎉🎉😊😊
Pontus II with OG firmware has been widely reviewed to be the more full bodied of the line up (predating 12 and 15th generations). One of the things I disliked in my Ares2 was the lean lower mids and forwardness and the Pontus II was the total cure. So while it makes sense to improve quality for money and bring the Pontus in line with the general Denafrips house sound, I do think it’s a shame that this sound signature option is now gone. I’ll be keeping my Pontus II or if I do upgrade it will likely be to another brand.
❤❤❤ hello Jay longtime friend of yours here. Would you recommend this DAC with the Griffin Diablo 120 integrated amplifier?
A lot of reviewers say it’s a little bit on the dark side. Will just bring it up more to a neutral more sparkle in the treble clearer mid range. Your suggestion is very valuable to me.❤❤❤❤❤ thank you
I think so!
Jay mentioned they upgraded the clock. What clock is being used? Looked like it might be Accusilicon AS338
Really hoping you get the Venus 15 in and up the chain. So much confusion. Denaphrips hasn't handled this recent approach very well.
Thanks!😊
Thank you!🙏
Hi Jay, how would you compare the Ventus 15 vs Ank 2.1? These 2 are around the same price and I am deciding.
I have requested it for review and waiting to compare
The denafrips DACs are balanced, so you will not fully utilize it unless you use the XLR outputs.
sure but sonically I thought both rca and xlr sounded the same
@@Jayiyagi that speaks well of their output stage.
When you talk of the original Pontus, do you mean the Pontus II or it’s predecessor
Original. Pontus OG
Pontus 15 or ANK 2.1 signature? I am having a hard time making up my mind.
I am on the same boat. I was going for the Ank 2.1 then this video came out
actually I have requested their dac for review and have been waiting to compare
@Jayiyagi I was referring to the audio note kit 2.1, wasn't that the one that you did the video on which was "my favorite high-end dac for half the price"
I think owners of Denafrips are a bit shady... To blow off Alvin Chee of Vinshine Audio was just stunning.... Alvin put Denafrips on the map and he is absolutely a man of HIGHEST integrity. Love the product, do not like the owners / culture of the organization.....
Such a shame…
we don't know what's behind the story so to start bad mouthing on people we have no information on is quite unfair a bias
Alvin is no doubt amazing, but at the end of the day it was most likely a business decision that Denafrips had every right to make. If their support system is problematic and they lose customers because of it, then they'll have to suffer the consequences of that decision. I am happy that Alvin and Vinshine did at least pick up Laiv though.
@@fatdoi003 Same thing happened with OCD Mikey a few years ago... Shady business practices that Mikey is not willing to 'play'.
@@mattsev9134 Likewise.. will seriously look into it and get rid of my Denafrips.. I can't stand companies with low ethics.
What about the 16th edition to come for the DAC of the month club? Well, I'm considering it. I asked them about substituting the BNC input for a RCA, if you remember the early Ares had two RCA inputs, the cost is an addition al $99.
I bought it. I like it a lot. I feel bad for Alvin. But what are we gonna do? 😢
I also like the Laiv. Too many dacs. Lol.
Just purchased the CD hoping I win the pontis 15th in the giveaway🤞an amazing DAC!
Thanks!
Is the Jay's Iyagi official playlist a public offering? - cant find it in a tidal search
Would love to know your opinion on Audio-GD. Thx
Will you review the Atoll ST300 ?
Hmm do i now have to get back with denafrips? Fine, ill buy it…. 🎉 selling ifi idsd pro…
Jay, what 'feet' are you using to isolate your DAC please? Thank you. JM
isoacoustic
Didn't you say once that you have sold all your Chinese dacs? What made you buy again?
💰😊
I was sold on the Pontus 15th but then it was compared to may and laiv dacs, so now i am confused on what to get :) I got a Rega Aethos and the triangle magellan duettos sw2 speakers and i use a bluesound node n130. If any of you got a suggestion let me hear it, i am abit treble sensetive and would love to dial it a bit down.
Personally I’d go with LAIV harmony in your case.
A recording engineer. An audio technician. A former high end hi-fi retail sales rep. A student of neuro science. A TH-cam hi-fi reviewer. Yet can’t differentiate between 15th “generation” and 15th anniversary edition. 😒😖🤣🙃😊
This is something fairly typical. It keeps your engineers busy when you're not sure what new ground breaking product to design next. I signed up for the kickstarter, big fan of the cello.
I think its the 5th generation, 15th anniversary.
At first glance the design of LAiV is pretty and fancy, but in my opinion it's not really a good, timeless industrial design.
The Denafrips might be a bit boring, but for the long term I think it's better. It gets out of the way.
A good example of great, timeless industrial design would be Nagra.
I like the LAIV design but I get where you are coming from
@@Jayiyagi ...from Switzerland 😂
Oh yeah, Nagra is absolutely hideous. Of all examples you literally chose the worst one
I have the LaiV sitting beside the monolithic alloy brute that is the Denafrips Athena pre, both have their charms but the LAiV finishing and industrial design attention to detail is another level.
Too bad, I have a very revealing and forward system, speakers similar to a focal kanta, so i guess i have to get the holo may spring then, thanks for this informative review cheers
Venus 15th has gone up to Terminator size... i'd say it's a last gen Terminator.... it has OCXO and clock sync at the back when last gen there's not
we shall find out!
Damn,can’t get into the Kickstarter 🤬
What a tease lol
Hi Jay, Did you notice what opamp is being used in the output stage of the Pontus 15th? Thank you! Great video as always!
Oh god. I couldnt tell you. I didnt look that close 😢
@@Jayiyagi My hope is when a consumer is making a purchase at this level that the manufacture is using a discrete output or at least a very high quality op-amp. Too often I see manufactures utilizing generic 40 year old N5532 or N5534 op-amps in their output stage while asking top-shelf prices. It's my audio pet-peeve and just drives me nuts! The Pontus 15th looks like such a nice product my hope they didn't skimp on the output stage. LAiV audio tells me they don't use ANY opamps in Harmony DACs output. I'm not sure how they do this and I know its a different price point but could explain the difference in sound you hear. I do sure appreciate the Pontus build quality!
Would love to get in the Kickstarter , but unfortunely life does not permite me now !
but, the most sincere wishes of good luck for this project .
@@MsCorbachomany thanks! 🙏
I’ll miss Alvin. 😢
well he's still there tho. Just not representing Denafrips
Venus for 2000 is a great deal. The Ares 15th is probably the Pontus 12th.
This way they only have to develop a new Terminator each time and kick the rest of the line up a step down the ladder. That saves a lot of development cost.
it’s not
Whoever buys a retail version needs to lift the lid to make sure this is actually what they get... The cynic in me tells me this might just be in the review item?
I wont consider a denafrips product after what they did to Alvin. He built the brand for them and as soon as it started being profitable they kicked him to the curb. I can see why OCD mikey dumped this brand too.
3:59 That sticker strip adds no value and actually feels like it cheapens the aesthetics of an otherwise beautiful unit.
it's in the inside. It wasn't meant to be displayed
@@Jayiyagi What other purpose could it possibly provide then? About as minor a complaint that anyone could come up with, but at the same time it's silly that it's there.
An opportunity for new buyers, but totally destroys the resale value for existing Pontus owners. I feel like they should offer us a trade in credit of some kind.
Ohh boohooi
Why? Your product still works and does the job it did when you paid for it doesn't it? If so, your statement simply doesn't make sense...to me at least.
Does Apple offer a trade-in credit for iPhone 12 Pro users when they release the iPhone 16?
Does Microsoft offer a trade-in credit for the Xbox One when they release the Xbox Series S?
So you prefer to have Denafrips jack up the price every time they launch an upgraded version of an existing model ? That way you would pay more for the new model even if you get a few bucks more selling your used unit !
👉🏼 WHAAAAAAAH! 😭
Recording in DSD would be much better, and you will be able to produce an hybrid SACD/CD !!!
Think about it! ;)
? You mean PCM and than 1bit DSD converting, because native DSD recording not possible, to my knowlegde 😊
@@gerihifiDSD recording is possible, Octave Records and some others do so. Editing in DSD is not possible, its converted to DXD (32 bit PCM) and converted back to DSD
How its recorded is far more important than format in my opinon
@@Jayiyagi These are two different issues.
I have a good experience with native DSD: it is the best sound from the moment the DSD is native, that is to say when the digital recorder records directly in DSD. And no background noise coming from the tapes. And the dynamics are exceptional.
If you want to have an idea, listen to SACDs from the PentaTone brand for example. Native DSD is ultra airy, natural, precise, and sumptuous (not to be confused with a PCM recording converted to DSD, as on some SACDs).
But be careful not to edit the NATIVE DSD recording: you would be forced to convert it in PCM, and you would lose the incomparable time resolution of 2.8224 MHz (64 times that of the CD).
I assure you: it is the best! It is not for nothing that it is Sony and Philips, who have a long experience of digital, that they invented this format.
Might as well record with the best technology! ;).
@@gerihifi No, NATIVE DSD. PCM then DSD conversion do not produce the same quality at all.
you speak of the Holo May but you show a picture of the Holo Spring. Can you clarify?
Why not direct to disc? Rent a cutting lathe!
Probably for next project!
Hi Jay, very good and informative review. You keep improving. One note: the Pontus 15th is not a 2-box product as you stated. That would mean that it's power supply is completely separated in a 2nd chassis from the dac itself. The Pontus 15th is actually a 2-compartment dac in a single box. The intent of the design of course trying to separate the power supply from the dac itself as much as possible in a single box. This is still a great design which reduces the product cost versus having two boxes; but it's important to make the distinction. Keep up the good work.
I bought my Enyo 15th + Iris 12th from AliExpress, $1525 CAD all in. I could care less who the seller is, as long as price + shipping is satisfactory and the seller is reputable.
Oh boy....
The solders on all the wires look cold. They are dull and not shiny like they should be. This is not an upgrade.
Invest your money in acoustic treatment not in these ridiculous overpriced dacs which make little to no difference.
Before buying this DAC, listen to comparisons of this DAC with 3 other DACs which was done by Harley from Pearl Acoustics 😉😉
It was a revelation for me. Enough to make me sell my Pontus II and get an AD1865 multi-bit R2R based DAC. Don’t throw away your money.
Did he change his mind about something or maybe I cant remember from several months ago, but my takeaway at the time was he loved Denafrips.
Denafrips still stands by the products the pontus 15 is slightly warm where you get your hearing from ?
I put side by side with the LAIV dac and even if the pontus was $3k it’s built great and sounds good and my system is not warm sounding before installing the dac it’s very well balanced all around.