What an absolutely wonderful review. I love watching your videos. You come across to the public (or more fairly, to me) as extremely honest, earnest, thoughtful and experienced, able to articulate all the nuances that you have been considering in clear language. Your production value is top notch and quite impressive and I’m sure it takes an enormous amount of time to produce one of your videos. Thank you so much for your time and brain investment in this process because we, the content consumers, are the ones who benefit.
Wow, I am flattered for you to say that...Thank you so much. The comments of passionate people like you really help to sustain why I do this. I just wish the industry was as much too. If they got that, it would be a much bigger industry and partly why I don't go too much into technicals is to keep it inclusive. But I am doing this for the enjoyment of production and learning new skills like the 3d graphics I did, and I love faithfully produced music equally. The HiFi is a means to an end of that and this is what the HiFi industry needs to do drastically better. Best Wishes Simon
Thank you. I think it makes videos easier to watch and digest all the information so people who aren’t even considering the product can get something out of it too. A little bit of humour too.
The effort you put into your video production is much appreciated along with your summary review of each DAC. That being said, having previously owned the Denafrips Ares II and recently auditioning the Chord Qutest in my system for a month, I am now listening to the RME ADI-2 DAC FS. The RME is very special. It seems to cover all the bases in areas where I thought the Chord and the Ares II were lacking. You put it best by simply calling it "balanced". It does not lack for detail, it is fast and robust sounding with great frequency extension up and down. It's also very transparent or 'clear'. I've had other DACs with similar characteristics but they seemed to be a little thin or light in the midrange and some were a little too polite or dynamically challenged. Not the RME. The RME is indeed very balanced. It is my personal favorite of the three.
Nice addition for those who are looking at these selections. In addition, there's more good news as RME just offered a new firmware upgrade less than a month ago (right before Christmas). Just learned about it and upgraded this week. Wow, the ADI-2 FS just got better. Again.
By the way I am your new fan. As an audiophile and high end audio businessman with more than thirty years of experience from Tehran Iran, I truly enjoy and admire your attention to details and your “audiophileness” 🤩
After two years of searching I went for the Swiss Army knife RME also, these three were but a few I tried, I love your videos and keep up the good work. Greetings from a Brit in Germany
Just another comment for the algo as Simon continues to do astoundingly good work with high production value. Also, he's one of the few people that note the RME ADI-2 can be doubly used as a preamp. This is often overlooked by other reviewers. Since I use it in combination with specialty tube amps, it's not a small benefit. The review here captures the DAC end quite well and should help people but remember, your system configuration will always offer some different if not subtle differences. Last, it's now January 2022 and RME offered yet another firmware upgrade for the ADI-2. It's an impressive aspect no one else can touch IMHO. Certainly, you won't see that offered with a Topping or similar ChiFi DAC. Congrats Simon again and hopefully people will use you as a resource on Patreon; you deserve it.
Great review! I can definitely appreciate all the work that goes into one of these! Enjoying the Pontus II in my setup and have never demoed the Chord or Ares. Denafrips makes a beautiful dac!
It might have been said, but the Vangelis song at the end... wow... I first heard that in the US when it came out to support the launch of a car, the Mercury Lynx.. many many years ago. I never knew the name of it, or heard it in its entirety. Thank you :)
They are definitely bold with design and I like them too because they stand out and are quirky. In a niche market brands needs a niche design. That’s why I was saying on that Sonore opticalRendu I reviewed they need a better case.
@@jean-michel2489 that's true. hadn't thought of that. Interesting HiFi brands don't use braille on products. Some studio headphones I have do have Braille to denote left and right cans.
Great video Simon, your best one yet in my opinion. I am very keen to get my hands on an Ares II and your vireo convinced me it is the way to go, especially based on what it is and more so what it is not. Keep up the good work.
Excellent presentation of all three products, I e heard all three and agree with your findings. So for me, I own the Ares 2 and prefer its pairing with my Stax system. A Pontus for more of everything, for my room system that matches up best with my planar speakers.
Love the final comparison punch line 😁😁 thanks for sharing this video now I am better equipped and informed coz I’ve been eyeing on the ARES II for quite some time now,
Excellent job describing this Dac. I bought the Ares 2, replacing a Schiit Bifrost 2. I found the results to be exactly as you described. I liked the Bifrost, but my speakers at the time were so forward (Revel F36), I was desperate to control the upper end. Sadly, it wasn’t enough but I’m still happy with my decision. I’ve since moved on from Revel after taking a beating on the sale. My electronics are vintage so I went with vintage ADS speakers. There is so much soundstage and air from the Ares. I’m also running a Node 2I and vintage McIntosh electronics.
Nice to see another ADS speaker fan here. Which ADS model are you using. I’m looking for a suitable DAC for my ADS 910, 1230 and 810s. How do like Ares II with ADS ? Thanks & Happy Listening 😀🎉🎊
@@vks4392 Right now, I’m using L780. I had L710 for over thirty years. Unfortunately, several drivers finally quit so I gave them away. The Ares2 is a great match. When I put the ADS back in the system, the soundstage seems enormous compared to what I had with my previous speakers. In hindsight, I should have never given the L710 away.
@@stevezeidman7224 thanks for replying. I see what you are saying. When I first heard the sound of my 810s I couldn’t believe the upper and mid range sounded so good. Everything came alive. But they were a bit less-bass centric in my opinion. 1230s sound really balanced to me. Ads speakers come often for sale on Facebook. I’m also a member of ADS speaker fans on Facebook. Pls join. See you there too. I’m also looking into other dacs like Pontus 2, border patrol, doge tube DAC, musical paradise. Thanks and happy listening 👏😀
@@vks4392 Thanks for the invitation. I will definitely join! I’ve always wondered about 1230s. They look fantastic. They’re just too big for my current space. The DACs you’re considering are all well thought of devices. I think the Ares offers an amazing amount of value to cost.
What about the middleman, the Pontus 2? Is it sound quality wise more towards the Ares 2 or the Venus 2? From Ares to Venus is a big jump, and pricewise the Pontus is in the middle. Any one compared these 3 dacs?
Good calll, hopefully in the passage of time, Although the Terminator is the one I want to try first, purely for self indulgent reasons this time tbh, as have done lots of mid priced and budget gear
@@13thnotehifireviews7 - I am currently running a BlueSound Node to a Pontus II connected to a Denafrips Hestia which feeds a Benchmark AHB2. The speakers are a pair of KEF LS50 Metas. Very curious about the Venus II and the Gaia DDC.
I'm very interested in the Swiss DAC, Merason Frerot, $1,350 USD. I've read some incredible reviews, and wonder if it' similar - 'or better than' - or if it magically combines positive but 'competing' attributes of the Ares II, Chord, RME, etc.? Please consider including it on your channel!
I've owned the chord qutest, ares ii and now pontus ii. The pontus ii for me brought the extra detail the ares was missing, I've not heard the Venus so not sure what that brings to the party. I'm using an arcam a49 and fyne audio 502sp, I am interested in trying the hagel amp to see what that sounds like as the arcam I believe is warmish sounding.
i have not found any comparisons of the Pontus 2 vs. the Pegasus anywhere? would like to upgrade from my Ares2 down the road, maybe? no has compared them so far?
I own the Pontus II and just purchased the RME ADI-2 DAC a few days ago. Simon's description of the Denafrips sound as being warm, deep and lush, but not the most detailed is right on. Because my amp and preamp (Parasound A21+ and P6) are slightly warm, the ADI-2--with it's clearer, more detailed presentation--is a great match. I am loving it so far. What a great piece of equipment! It is too early to tell, but I will probably sell my Pontus II at some point.
Thanks for the review. I have the Ares 2 with Audiolab 8300A with KEF LS50 and really like the sound. I am a vinyl lover as well…maybe I am all palaver 😊
Thanks for this review! I've got a Holo Spring KTE for my primary hp setup but was looking at Ares ii, BF2, and MHDT Orchid for my desktop/pc hp rig. This was helpful.
Your videos reviews are entertaining and ridiculously good! I’m standing by for a review or shootout with the Holo Audio Spring 2 or 3 KTE DAC in the mix. I have the Spring 2 KTE version and it’s a great unit. Thanks
I just use an mcru one for the chord . We’ll be hush hush though as chord don’t like this as some have been known to damage their units . This mcru works well.
Brilliant review. These DACS are within a great many peoples price range and you compare them with very perceptive listening experience. The Ares appeals to me for its vinyl like quality but detail is something I also want.
Enjoyed watching you more than Osama and its a close run thing with the Gaga. Am busy deciding (agonising?) over the Mojo 2 for a quick fix or throwing caution to the wind and going for Qutest which I can source for £1250 new. Been watching a lot of Rob Watts content and contrasting that with my Topping that feels very 'analytical' so much so that something with more tone appeals. This review has given food for thought! Hope things are well. Great content.
Thank you. Not recommending but saying for different presentation of speaker you want to tailor different Dacs . Reviews are for a shortlist so ultimately borrow yourself.
Great video. I've owned both Qutest and Ares ii. I've sold the Qutest and use the Ares ii. I agree with your verdict on both For me it just sounds so natural and unfussy. It just sits there without the need for any eye burning light show and gets on with its job which is to reveal the music to my ears. Also in the UK it's 2/3 the cost of the Qutest and yet easily sits at the same level. [I must also mention that the Qutest has 2 moving parts on it (the buttons) and on my first unit neither operated entirely freely which restricted how quickly you could cycle through the filters. Not what I was expecting on a £1200 piece of kit. This is not an isolated problem because there is a video on TH-cam by someone with the same issue.]
Thank you. I think I might have been spot on with your thoughts, placing myself in others shoes. Not to blow my own trumpet. Lol. My first Qutest had a problem with this red tint colour bleaching through the metal. Chord replaced it. The Qutest still sounds fantastic for me. I used it with a HIFiMan jade 2 electrostatic headphone system a while back and it is awesome. 😀
Absolutely amazing video. Detailed, precise and classy. I also love all the work you in put in for the production.I do not consider myself an audiophile, I think I am definitely more of a music lover. I have been torn between the Denafrips Ares and the RME for the lat few months. I listen to a very wide genre of music but mainly 70's and 80s rock. I also like jazz and blues which I almost exclusively play on vinyl. I am using a Luxman 505uxii integrated amp which has no digital inputs with ATC SCM19 loudspeakers. I recently purchased the Bluesound Node N130 streamer and am looking for an out and out DAC to use with it. Would really appreciate your recommendation for my setup. Due to my location, I do not have the luxury of trying out these DACs at a local store. Thank you.
I found the Ares generally disappointing, but I do appreciate the balanced review. I guess my preference is with detail retrieval, speed, accuracy, and bass definition which the Ares I found to be lacking. Also, when things got busy it was difficult to follow along. But I can see how it would be appealing for people that stick to certain genres heavy on vocals, organic instruments, timbre, etc.
On the whole though, and as I said, this can be all that people want, so I think I was right to call it. Just listening to art Garfunkel’s bright eyes and sounds fab.
Thank you for this great comparison. I am waiting for an updated version of the ADI, love the EQ feature but never owned one because currently, I get better DACs at its selling price.
Thank you for your reply It seams that if I buy one of these DACs there is no return policy. Not sure which will sound better on my rig. Or which will be an improvement over the DAC in the Rotel 1592 Intergrated. “See the description” where?
Hi I have a marantz pm8006 amp ,marantz cd6005 ,bluesound node ,fyne audio1501 speakers could you recommend a dac for this set up, Great reviews by the way keep up the good work
What are the advantages of using the digital output/passthrough and creating a DAC loop as you have diagrammed? So my Hegel H95 doesn't have this option..Not that will stop me from trying out the Ares 2 with the H95...
The h390 manual says “Your device comes equipped with a DAC- Loop function that can be activated in the device menu. The function makes it possible to upgrade the digital inputs of the amplifier with an external high-end DAC. This is done by connecting the jitter reduced coaxial digital output of the amplifier to the external DAC. The output of the external DAC will need to be connected to the XLR input of the amplifier.” Basically the Hegel reclocks the digital and spits it out to the dac.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for the info - I echo the comments at the top of the page ; a 'trusted voice' in this virtual Hifi world is to be treasured...I'll check out your patreon.
@@maxadams1298 Thank you Max if it was you who just signed up. I'm gonna try and do 2-3 articles a week on the Patreon page with my videos, and little extra video opinions to make it better for subscribers there.
Thank you for the nice review. I thought the Denafrips Ares II was ok with simple music like female vocals or smooth jazz but it lacked robustness and detail. I sold mine a couple months ago. I much prefer my six year old PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC. I am awaiting the arrival of my Chord Qutest.
Great review. Just thinking out loud, but isn't the best way to alter the sound of your system to your liking - changing your speakers ? And keeping everything else as neutral as possible ? But I can understand that's not always practical.
Thank you. I think partly what is so attractive about DAC reviews, is they are a bit like the way you flavour food when you cook. A little bit of magic can make the dish. I think you are right, change speakers and amps to do more. But a pair of speakers or amp is like a brand of car you stick too from one model to the next, you fit stuff around it. Another reason as to the attractiveness of DACs which can make decent to big changes. 😁
Fantastic job! Your videos are somewhere in between Lady Gaga’s and Obama’s but much closer to Lady Gaga’s. Your comment was well received and made me laugh so loud my wife wanted to know what was so funny,
You put lot of effort in producing videos, appreciated. Considering rme contains a mid tier dac chip, but you like it a lot, how about its comparision with chinese dac makers where at this price you get higher end dac chips. Also your impression would be very important of the newly released smsl d300 dac, highly affordable with rohm dac chip.
Thank you. You may already know but the dac chip is not the be all and end all in eventual sound quality. Things like the power supply and analogue output stage too. So it’s not a reason to think X dac chip appears to have a better spec than another so the product will sound better.
Thanks for the review, just happens these 3 are on my short list of dac's, it will be my very first dedicated dac and hopefully my last one. Now retired and looking to put together my last system. Can I get your viewpoint on possibly the choice of dac that may suit my system . I know its a subjective thing and depends on a lot of things but! heres the thing, cost wise 1) RME landed $1375 US...Ares II $1105 landed...Qutest $1140 bought locally ( New Zealand ) Considering the Qutest is local and cost is the best of the three but used where the other 2 are new I tend to go that way. But my gear consists of my new Willsenton R8 tube amp, speakers are the Triangle Genese Trio 90 db and my new built kit the Troels Gravesen Discovery 861 floor standers again about 90db, source is the Esound Platinum cd-e5 moded cd player. Preference in music is female vocal and acoustic music. Your selection would be much appreciated...thanks Alain
Great video. Simon, I've been contemplating Bluesound Node but am being put off by comments that it's sound quality isn't up to par. I saw you using it here. Can the Node work as a good digital (optical) source into the RME or another decent DAC... without compromising on SQ? Coz I know the Node's DAC might not be a great. Thanks
the move to make is to buy the bluesound node then use the digital out into a superior dac rather than using the onboard dac which is crap. You buy the node for blue os functionality which is pretty great. I use a node 2i with my Holo Audio Spring KTE dac and it's been great.
Hi Shoaib, thank you. Donno about the node as new one out and haven’t tried it. Hoping too soon against Cambridge cxn v2 I have. The node works brilliantly as a digital transport. See my vid on the Auralic Aries g1. lol. 😀
For audiophiles maybe, but let’s not forget the market the node is aimed at. It just so happens as a transport for audiophiles it’s brilliant and hits at other pricier streamer. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Good to know. Was only wondering if a Linear Power Supply is needed to pull the most out of the Node as a streamer only function. But if you are satisfied, I think I can be too. I would have loved to use the Sub crossover function but in pure streamer mode, I guess that ain't possible. Yes, I am an aspiring Audiophile. Thanks mate.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 One more thing, I noticed you used an external clock...I've got the info IPurifier SPDIF reclocker sitting between the digital transport and the DAC...hope it's good enough...
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Please,try the optical input and younwill be amazed!Listen for depth and physicallity of the instruments!I have a glass Lifatec cable but the difference was apparent even with a cheap plastic one.
Excellent presentation as always. Quick question....I have had the RME for about a year now, and I'm very happy with it. I recently got a Hegel H120 amp. I got it based on brand reputation for Sonic quality, and the promise of roon readiness. The latter is a bit of a bust, but that's a different topic....(I've since deployed a Bricasti M5 as my streamer). Anyhow, my connection from the RME to the Hegel is simply via the balanced XLR connections. I'm using the RME as a preamp of sorts. Am I missing out on something by not using the Hegel DAC loop feature? As I see it I have a simple connection from DAC to amp and everything else going through the DAC. I don't really understand if there is a benefit by using that DAC loop feature. Your thoughts? Keep up the incredible work. You are a real professional.
Thanks very much David. You aren’t missing much by not having the dac loop feature which I don’t think the h120 exploits. Roon with Hegel is a bit of a sore topic but tbh you still get cd quality airplay through Roon to the h120 as I do with my h390. What amp did you upgrade from and your speakers you currently use out of interest?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Wow...thanks for such a speedy response. The Hegel was actually a sideways move. My original desktop setup was the RME connected to a pair of acoustic energy AE1-active monitors. This was to hold me over until my Decware Zen triode 2 watt tube amp arrived. That wait was about 6 months. Once I got the Decware, I sold the AE1's, and had the Decware Amp connected to the RME driving a pair of Omega Super 3 high output (small American mfg) monitors. I also occasionally connected my fully restored 1970s marantz 2245 receiver, just to change things up. The omegas proved to be a little too large for the desktop environment so right now the desktop setup consists of etherRegen switch, small green computer roon core, Bricasti M5 streamer, audiolab 6000cdt transport, RME DAC & Hegel H120 amp driving a pair of Harbeth p3esr speakers. That's the desktop rig...I also upgraded the RME power supply with a teddy pardo unit, which actually made a pretty noticeable difference. I moved the Decware Amp and Omega speakers to run the vinyl rig which is in a different room. I'm actually not a huge vinyl practitioner, despite having had about 1500 records when I was in high school, many many moons ago, which have long since gone away. It's kind of tough to start over again with acquiring vinyl. I also am getting lazy in my old age and really don't enjoy the ritual of playing a record, not to mention the surface noise, etc etc that most vinyl people find attractive. Anyhow, thank you so much for your response and your excellent, honest work. So many people rely on TH-cam reviewers, and one never knows just how "unbiased" they really are. You never know what's going on behind the scenes. However your work seems to be legit, honest, and objective. Thanks for that.
Hi Simon, I'm looking for a DAC to bring out the best of my Totem Forest speakers which are great at imaging and present music in a 3D like fashion. Qutest sounds like the better option. Thoughts?
The duty on importing something from the USA is 20% and this will be charged not only on the value of the goods but also on how much it costs to ship to the UK. There's also import duty but also remember the price listed in many US stores is not inclusive of tax. So if the item is 800 bucks, you'll be charged VAT on that, the cost of delivery, any insurance on the parcel and the import tax. That'll take it up to the price of the RME. There's also an issue if you have a problem with the item down the line if they have no support in the UK. You'd have to send it back across the Atlantic to get seen to.
Was trying to follow your point as to why you are concerned with shipping from the USA to U.K. any of these products, when they are available in the U.K., for chord and rme, the ares is Chinese / Singapore. Can you clarify? One thing buying from a distributor on the denafrips is you might pay a little more but I suspect it it does go wrong the distributor will probably lend you something to tied you over.
Thank you very much. The digital typing effect is pretty effective. I like the Anthony earls music I found and clipped a cover of moby’s porcelain with his new album video. All fair use as I’m not showing it all.
As I said in the review, a review is for a shortlist for consumers to find out. I don’t know what speakers, amps, tastes, budgets are all in the mix, to be able to advise. Also please see description.
Thank you for your review. I would love to try all these DACS in my system to see which I would prefer. However, like most, that is not possible so I have to do as much research as I can and take a gamble with what I believe would be my best match. Your video review has helped me get a better understanding. Presently I am looking to upgrade from the DAC in my CXN v2 as although it is good, I think it is too clean sounding for me. I am swinging towards an R-2R DAC as the more I read about them, the more I feel this is the sound signature that I am seeking. Your comment at the end though, with the comparison to the CXN v2 did make me wonder though, whether the gains I would get from an Ares II would justify the extra spending? Am I just throwing money away chasing a sound that I will never be happy with?
Thanks you Tony. I’m offering one on one chats on patreon, if you wanted to do that. Generally I ask for people to invest in me now, plus I can level more help on pluses and minuses privately. Thanks simon.
Did you get the DAC in the end? I'm pondering one to sit between my CXN v2 and ATC Amp and Speakers but wonder if any improvement/difference is worth the now £850+ outlay.
@@MattHill303 Yes I did upgrade my DAC. I went for a Cayin iDAC6 MKII and it is a massive improvement over the CXN V2. I found the DAC on eBay at a good price. It is not R-2R but very very good nonetheless. To try and describe how it is an improvement over the CXN, the CXN sounds detailed but cold, analytical, clinical. To my ears the CXN sounded flat. The Cayin iDAC 6mkii on the other hand still has that detail, but sounds much more natural, lusher, fat. Whereas the CXN sounded flat, the Cayin has layers and just makes music sound alive. I did not realise the difference would be so noticeable, but it really is. I guess this is also dependant on your other equipment but if you own decent gear, you owe it to your ears to get a better DAC. There's not many reviews of the Cayin DAC online but it really is very very good. Just like their amps, which are also top notch.
Simon, I have an Hegel H190 and was thinking about PMC loudspeakers. And now I see you use this combo. Does these two cooperate well? Are you happy with it? Thank you
I'm gonna be doing a lot more content for Patreon is the plan. Sign up and you can have chats and pick my brains over these things which I am sure you can appreciate I can answer more freely there. It isn't expensive and more about support too, as there is only so much time I can answer on YT.
Indeed Simon, I haven't seen a more exemplary review video in every respect of production. Even the sound from the totem pole in the start sounds fantastic with cheap speakers! My only question is you recommended comparing the Ares to the Venus. A Pontus comparison seems more logical wouldn't it? Regardless, please continue your exceptional work. God bless you! PS I just ordered the new Topping E30 II, uses 2 AK4493S this time. Same chip as RME, only newer and dual. For bargain hunters like me, I try to push the enjoyment envelope whilst pushing the cost of ownership in the other direction. Cheers!!
Thanks very much Bobby for lovely compliments. Check out the video I just did on the Pontus 2. I’ve got the ifi zen 2 dac for my desk pc as I was using a more expensive one and for cheapish Cambridge audio minx speakers I’ve got. Every use case as they say…..😀👍🔉🎼
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Will do Simon. Btw, the Canadians over at audioexellence found the ifi Neo idsd outperformed the Ares II so the plot thickens? Cheers! 🍾
Another great video. Any thoughts on how the Ares compares to the built in dac of the hegel? I have the h95 so the same as the one up to the 190 I think.
Just wanted to let you know mate, that I've just now bought the Bluesound Node to be used as a digital transport based on your confidence in using this in your reference class setup. Should I be using it with Optical out or Coax out with the external DAC? Thanks
@@Shoaibexpert I bought the new node in June and ran it with the stock cables for a month and just as an experiment I bought a chord c-stream ethernet cable and an MCRU figure 8 mains cable. It definitely made a difference, the treble has a bit more sparkle and adding the mains cable gave the bottom end a bit more solidity. The cost was £90 in the UK for both and if they had no effect I could easily have sent them back, but I've kept them as the up lift in sound quality is enough to justify keeping them. I'd like to point out that if I hadn't changed the stock cables I could have lived with new node as it was. I use it as streaming transport in to my dac/preamp using coax cable. At some point I'll try the node into my power amp and see how it's sounds on its own and see how the internal dac fares against my dac.
A cover of ‘Chung Kuo’ by Vangelis on his China album . I’d also recommend the blade runner music he did, tracks like ‘the unknown man’. Great artist and early electronic pioneer. Love it.
I expected you to be as stern as osama.but u didn't.I aced you laughing out loud before you did.I love when u r hilarious. As usual fabulous content and production.I see you as professor of Hi Fi subject.When Simon says you take notes 📝.cheers
Musik, sounding are so different. I took and bought the RME Adi-2 DAC FS , cause its coming the Hardware were Music are Mixed nearest to those in Studio. An alternative could be one of the SPL Audio DAC Range with Studio Hardware to get most out from the Recording information (Analog and Digital). Sometimes it’s the choice the Money. But after a few cheapest DAC under 100€ ( Chinese small boxes and some Oehlbach both like a DA and different Model with AD function ) are the RME in my eyes and point to choose on of the Best way like a transformation of the Home HiFi from Stereo Amp to a preamp with separate Amp‘(s) setup could not be better sound.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I'll check out Brendon, thanks. You got me on to Todd Terje too previously, so much appreciated! You really do great production on your videos, keep up the good work!
You do put time and effort in producing these videos! May I ask, would you consider the Qutest to be a good match to an OTL amp in order to combine Qutest's detailed sound with the organic amp sound?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 ahh, i gotta go look better then:)) Bit of long term planning. My pre amp has a dac build in, but is 10+ years old. Marantz av8003. Still sounds awesome though hehe
Excellent review. These 3 DACs are precisely the ones I am considering to upgrade from my Musical Fidelity MX DAC. Costs will, of course, be a factor so my choice will probably be the Ares II to complement my current Hegel amp and Evo4.2 speakers.
Great review! Effort appreciated. Have you had a chance to try the Topping D90SE or the Gustard x26 pro? These Chinese dacs get a lot of praise these days….would be interesting to get your 2 cents on them
Good review. I'm glad I went for the Ares2. You certainly get alot for your investment with real linear PSU built in. (Listening with Node2i/ Musical Fidelity X-Ray/X-150/Magnepan LRS - see thumbnail). The Ares makes the internal Node2i DAC sound boring and flat. The A2 tone is gorgeous! I'm aware of the hall sound, ambience and the decay of notes far more with the Denafrips. It's quite addictive. Good to have 3 sound profiles too:-) How does the internal Hegel DAC hold up? Is it worth the "upgrade"? I wish Hegel would do amps without DACs. Seems silly to have to buy a feature which will become outdated whereas the amp can go for 20 years 🎶🤫🎶
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Noted from other reviews also, but I'd rather go for beautiful tone than etching details...not that I've heard the chord. I feel music is more about tone than details at this point:-) I also liked the Ares2 with my Kef LS50s/REL2.2 (Mu-Fi bridged amps and X-DAC X-PSU X-10v3), but for now it's staying in the LRS/REL2.2 system. I've only had it a few months so still playing.... Thanks for replying mate, and greetings from a Brit in Montana USA :-)
Carlito Melon was gonna say if you were in eu do distance selling as law in Europe is to get refunds on stuff bought online, but don’t think applies in states
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I believe the British audiophiile compared the mojo to the Aries. Would be interesting to compare Pontus to the Qtest price wise?
Well Simon. I could state that you are one realy realy realy good reviewer, but thats not enough. In my humble opinion your the best, and your productions are stellar,, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! Cheers, thank you and thanks again and I wish you a excellent weekend, my freind,, 🍻😎👍! ( Have you seen that the NAD M10 are coming as a V2 version. Now with variable high pass filter to the speakers and Sub out x2,, 💥🥰💥 )
I'd give you ten likes if I could for the Vangelis tune in this video and the insane production quality. 👏 IMO a dac should be revealing and neutral, leaving the amp and speaker to provide tone and flavour, which is why I'd go for the Chord with no hesitation over the other two dacs, hands down better and yes you do get what you pay for for this one! However, moving up from the Qutest is tricky! The Chord Hugo TT2 is over 3x more expensive leaving a large gap... is there any DAC that can better that Qutest for what it's incredible at (Neutrality, speed, bass definition, air, separation, sounstage and detail) for less than the TT2? 🤔
Thank you very much. You are probably right on the Qutest. The Rme has refinement, better neutrality, bass extension and mid centric qualities over the Qutest, in a cheaper package , although you are right, and I said, so much is a preference game in hifi. Vangelis sounds great on the chord too. Enjoy.
Nice vid good effort. I have questions: don’t you find a bit limiting trying gears just with one amp? You choose the Denafrip because of your Hegel and its own way to amplify a signal. Don’t you believe that with a different amp the choice would be different? Now with this in mind don’t you believe that the Hegel sounds a bit off from reality? Do you have a good class A amp to listen to this gear again? Have you filled each one of the dacs a good dsd bit perfect signal using a pc with asio converted from analog master? In few words are you shure you picked the Denafrip not to compensate the intricate problems of the Hegel?
I use other amps like mytek Brooklyn, but using one amp to test different gear is the best way to get an idea of character of Dacs. Also if it has an effect on one amp it generally does to others. To test every dac on every class of amp would be, I’m sure you can appreciate, be time prohibitive, particularly given how long this took. No the Hegel is one of best atm. Class a is generally not as good an all rounder. The Hegel doesn’t have problems , I’m judging a preference you have for class a and preference and best two separate things I always mention. cd quality is all you need into a good dac , no dsd etc. Bw Simon
![ARES II vs D90 vs Bifrost 2 vs ADI-2 vs Gungnir vs Qutest [Mega DAC Roundup & Comparison]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sCP63G8MYOI/mqdefault.jpg)
What an absolutely wonderful review. I love watching your videos. You come across to the public (or more fairly, to me) as extremely honest, earnest, thoughtful and experienced, able to articulate all the nuances that you have been considering in clear language. Your production value is top notch and quite impressive and I’m sure it takes an enormous amount of time to produce one of your videos. Thank you so much for your time and brain investment in this process because we, the content consumers, are the ones who benefit.
Wow, I am flattered for you to say that...Thank you so much. The comments of passionate people like you really help to sustain why I do this. I just wish the industry was as much too. If they got that, it would be a much bigger industry and partly why I don't go too much into technicals is to keep it inclusive. But I am doing this for the enjoyment of production and learning new skills like the 3d graphics I did, and I love faithfully produced music equally. The HiFi is a means to an end of that and this is what the HiFi industry needs to do drastically better. Best Wishes Simon
Cheers pal thanks 😊
Greetings from Denmark.. The production quality is very much appreciated.
Thank you. I think it makes videos easier to watch and digest all the information so people who aren’t even considering the product can get something out of it too. A little bit of humour too.
The effort you put into your video production is much appreciated along with your summary review of each DAC. That being said, having previously owned the Denafrips Ares II and recently auditioning the Chord Qutest in my system for a month, I am now listening to the RME ADI-2 DAC FS. The RME is very special. It seems to cover all the bases in areas where I thought the Chord and the Ares II were lacking. You put it best by simply calling it "balanced". It does not lack for detail, it is fast and robust sounding with great frequency extension up and down. It's also very transparent or 'clear'. I've had other DACs with similar characteristics but they seemed to be a little thin or light in the midrange and some were a little too polite or dynamically challenged. Not the RME. The RME is indeed very balanced. It is my personal favorite of the three.
Thank you Abe. The RME is a great DAC I agree. Enjoy
Nice addition for those who are looking at these selections. In addition, there's more good news as RME just offered a new firmware upgrade less than a month ago (right before Christmas). Just learned about it and upgraded this week. Wow, the ADI-2 FS just got better. Again.
By the way I am your new fan. As an audiophile and high end audio businessman with more than thirty years of experience from Tehran Iran, I truly enjoy and admire your attention to details and your “audiophileness” 🤩
Do you have a shop in Tehran?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 not now.
Thank you by the way, I should have said. Best wishes to you.
excellent production. I really appreciate it!
After two years of searching I went for the Swiss Army knife RME also, these three were but a few I tried, I love your videos and keep up the good work.
Greetings from a Brit in Germany
Thanks Very much Rod
Just another comment for the algo as Simon continues to do astoundingly good work with high production value.
Also, he's one of the few people that note the RME ADI-2 can be doubly used as a preamp. This is often overlooked by other reviewers. Since I use it in combination with specialty tube amps, it's not a small benefit. The review here captures the DAC end quite well and should help people but remember, your system configuration will always offer some different if not subtle differences. Last, it's now January 2022 and RME offered yet another firmware upgrade for the ADI-2. It's an impressive aspect no one else can touch IMHO. Certainly, you won't see that offered with a Topping or similar ChiFi DAC. Congrats Simon again and hopefully people will use you as a resource on Patreon; you deserve it.
Thank you for your comments Roman
@Winston Smith - I use the RME with amps my friend builds. So, it's a "specialty" amp based on an old tube design. RME is great with tube amps.
Dissing on Osama's production quality.. priceless ! Great review, loved the detailed connection slides.
Thanks hifi needs to lighten up
Great review! I can definitely appreciate all the work that goes into one of these!
Enjoying the Pontus II in my setup and have never demoed the Chord or Ares. Denafrips makes a beautiful dac!
Thankyou . The finished product is why I do it , like art. I think these dacs would sell at double the money if they were made by a naim etc.
I'm looking for a DAC to use with my Quad ESL 57's, Aurender N100 server, and small tube integrated amp. I'm leaning toward the Denifrips Ares II.
It might have been said, but the Vangelis song at the end... wow... I first heard that in the US when it came out to support the launch of a car, the Mercury Lynx.. many many years ago. I never knew the name of it, or heard it in its entirety. Thank you :)
I love chord products for their design. It’s something from vintage science fiction films :)
They are definitely bold with design and I like them too because they stand out and are quirky. In a niche market brands needs a niche design. That’s why I was saying on that Sonore opticalRendu I reviewed they need a better case.
But you’d better not to be colorblind…
@@jean-michel2489 that's true. hadn't thought of that. Interesting HiFi brands don't use braille on products. Some studio headphones I have do have Braille to denote left and right cans.
Great video Simon, your best one yet in my opinion. I am very keen to get my hands on an Ares II and your vireo convinced me it is the way to go, especially based on what it is and more so what it is not. Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much Kobus. I’m glad I could be concise enough for you to help.
Another brilliant video ..thanks for the presentation style and the content you give a balanced view which is so refreshing
Thank you so much too.
I'm sorry but I have to say that you barely talked about the rme dac, so how does it do against the other 2 dacs?
Stunning presentation. Wonderful variety of speaker selection. Well-articulated review.
So very informative and what an impressive presentation. Well done Simon and thank you.
Excellent presentation of all three products, I e heard all three and agree with your findings. So for me, I own the Ares 2 and prefer its pairing with my Stax system. A Pontus for more of everything, for my room system that matches up best with my planar speakers.
Thank you very much!
Love the final comparison punch line 😁😁 thanks for sharing this video now I am better equipped and informed coz I’ve been eyeing on the ARES II for quite some time now,
Excellent job describing this Dac. I bought the Ares 2, replacing a Schiit Bifrost 2. I found the results to be exactly as you described. I liked the Bifrost, but my speakers at the time were so forward (Revel F36), I was desperate to control the upper end. Sadly, it wasn’t enough but I’m still happy with my decision. I’ve since moved on from Revel after taking a beating on the sale. My electronics are vintage so I went with vintage ADS speakers. There is so much soundstage and air from the Ares. I’m also running a Node 2I and vintage McIntosh electronics.
Thank you very much. Interesting how we all go on our own hifi journeys in a good way of course 😀
Nice to see another ADS speaker fan here. Which ADS model are you using. I’m looking for a suitable DAC for my ADS 910, 1230 and 810s. How do like Ares II with ADS ? Thanks & Happy Listening 😀🎉🎊
@@vks4392 Right now, I’m using L780. I had L710 for over thirty years. Unfortunately, several drivers finally quit so I gave them away. The Ares2 is a great match. When I put the ADS back in the system, the soundstage seems enormous compared to what I had with my previous speakers. In hindsight, I should have never given the L710 away.
@@stevezeidman7224 thanks for replying. I see what you are saying. When I first heard the sound of my 810s I couldn’t believe the upper and mid range sounded so good. Everything came alive. But they were a bit less-bass centric in my opinion. 1230s sound really balanced to me. Ads speakers come often for sale on Facebook. I’m also a member of ADS speaker fans on Facebook. Pls join. See you there too. I’m also looking into other dacs like Pontus 2, border patrol, doge tube DAC, musical paradise. Thanks and happy listening 👏😀
@@vks4392 Thanks for the invitation. I will definitely join! I’ve always wondered about 1230s. They look fantastic. They’re just too big for my current space. The DACs you’re considering are all well thought of devices. I think the Ares offers an amazing amount of value to cost.
Hallo, absolutely great review!!
Question, is the Ares2 worth the money to upgrade the internal DAC from my Musical Fidelity M5si?
Another nice review. I’m particularly fan of your images and your montage, you’re really doing a great job!
People need to support it thought otherwise its days are numbered.
This is a lovely video--and the comparisons are sure to be helpful for folks chasing equipment. Please take a bow.
Thank you Catherine. 💕😀Doing some more content for patreon and my playlists for this dac over weekend
What about the middleman, the Pontus 2? Is it sound quality wise more towards the Ares 2 or the Venus 2? From Ares to Venus is a big jump, and pricewise the Pontus is in the middle. Any one compared these 3 dacs?
woud love a comparison between PontusII and Qtest
Impossible to review all.
It would be great to see a comparison and impressions between the Venus II and the cheaper Pontus II.
Good calll, hopefully in the passage of time, Although the Terminator is the one I want to try first, purely for self indulgent reasons this time tbh, as have done lots of mid priced and budget gear
@@13thnotehifireviews7 - I am currently running a BlueSound Node to a Pontus II connected to a Denafrips Hestia which feeds a Benchmark AHB2. The speakers are a pair of KEF LS50 Metas. Very curious about the Venus II and the Gaia DDC.
@@ritwikroy6189 you’ll get better sound if you change the source. Noticed a definite improvement when I changed by bluesound to a Pi2aes.
I'm very interested in the Swiss DAC, Merason Frerot, $1,350 USD. I've read some incredible reviews, and wonder if it' similar - 'or better than' - or if it magically combines positive but 'competing' attributes of the Ares II, Chord, RME, etc.? Please consider including it on your channel!
I've owned the chord qutest, ares ii and now pontus ii. The pontus ii for me brought the extra detail the ares was missing, I've not heard the Venus so not sure what that brings to the party. I'm using an arcam a49 and fyne audio 502sp, I am interested in trying the hagel amp to see what that sounds like as the arcam I believe is warmish sounding.
which one u prefer qutest or pontus ii.thanks
@@nhiphan6574 pontus
i have not found any comparisons of the Pontus 2 vs. the Pegasus anywhere? would like to upgrade from my Ares2 down the road, maybe? no has compared them so far?
Very nicely made video. Btw, what balanced output dac would you recommend for high end iems for stationary desktop use ?
Ever better production on your videos, appreciate your honest insights.
Thanks very much
Thank you for your review. My takeaway I can go for Qutest or RME than Denafrips for my warm Wharfedale 85s.
You should always listen yourself before buying is my advice. Like I said , a review is for a shortlist.
I own the Pontus II and just purchased the RME ADI-2 DAC a few days ago. Simon's description of the Denafrips sound as being warm, deep and lush, but not the most detailed is right on. Because my amp and preamp (Parasound A21+ and P6) are slightly warm, the ADI-2--with it's clearer, more detailed presentation--is a great match. I am loving it so far. What a great piece of equipment! It is too early to tell, but I will probably sell my Pontus II at some point.
Thanks for the review. I have the Ares 2 with Audiolab 8300A with KEF LS50 and really like the sound. I am a vinyl lover as well…maybe I am all palaver 😊
Great review, knowledgeable and easy to understand feedback on the gear. Thank you!
Thank you too. 😀
Thanks for this review! I've got a Holo Spring KTE for my primary hp setup but was looking at Ares ii, BF2, and MHDT Orchid for my desktop/pc hp rig. This was helpful.
thank you very much!, glad it helped.
You could also consider the Merason Frerot fed by Matrix Spdif 2 ;)!
Was really wanting a sample of Carl Sagan to come in at the outro there haha. Great video by the way , well put together .
Good explanation of the differences in the DACs.
thank you
That music at the end sounds like Vangelis China album. Love your reviews 🙂
Your videos reviews are entertaining and ridiculously good! I’m standing by for a review or shootout with the Holo Audio Spring 2 or 3 KTE DAC in the mix. I have the Spring 2 KTE version and it’s a great unit. Thanks
Thanks very much , enjoy
Simon, what power supply were you using with the Qutest? It doesn't look like the one Chord provides.
I just use an mcru one for the chord . We’ll be hush hush though as chord don’t like this as some have been known to damage their units . This mcru works well.
Brilliant review. These DACS are within a great many peoples price range and you compare them with very perceptive listening experience. The Ares appeals to me for its vinyl like quality but detail is something I also want.
Thanks very much Mr B
Enjoyed watching you more than Osama and its a close run thing with the Gaga.
Am busy deciding (agonising?) over the Mojo 2 for a quick fix or throwing caution to the wind and going for Qutest which I can source for £1250 new.
Been watching a lot of Rob Watts content and contrasting that with my Topping that feels very 'analytical' so much so that something with more tone appeals.
This review has given food for thought! Hope things are well. Great content.
With speakers like my b&w 702 s2 and Hegel h190 denafrips might be a good match But i might need to get the pontus as detail is important too
Great vid! thanks. One quick one: why exactly do you recommend Chord Qutest for MA speakers? (I happened to have gold 200 (4g) s... thanks
Thank you. Not recommending but saying for different presentation of speaker you want to tailor different Dacs . Reviews are for a shortlist so ultimately borrow yourself.
Great video. I've owned both Qutest and Ares ii. I've sold the Qutest and use the Ares ii. I agree with your verdict on both For me it just sounds so natural and unfussy. It just sits there without the need for any eye burning light show and gets on with its job which is to reveal the music to my ears. Also in the UK it's 2/3 the cost of the Qutest and yet easily sits at the same level.
[I must also mention that the Qutest has 2 moving parts on it (the buttons) and on my first unit neither operated entirely freely which restricted how quickly you could cycle through the filters. Not what I was expecting on a £1200 piece of kit. This is not an isolated problem because there is a video on TH-cam by someone with the same issue.]
Thank you. I think I might have been spot on with your thoughts, placing myself in others shoes. Not to blow my own trumpet. Lol. My first Qutest had a problem with this red tint colour bleaching through the metal. Chord replaced it. The Qutest still sounds fantastic for me. I used it with a HIFiMan jade 2 electrostatic headphone system a while back and it is awesome. 😀
Absolutely amazing video. Detailed, precise and classy. I also love all the work you in put in for the production.I do not consider myself an audiophile, I think I am definitely more of a music lover. I have been torn between the Denafrips Ares and the RME for the lat few months. I listen to a very wide genre of music but mainly 70's and 80s rock. I also like jazz and blues which I almost exclusively play on vinyl. I am using a Luxman 505uxii integrated amp which has no digital inputs with ATC SCM19 loudspeakers. I recently purchased the Bluesound Node N130 streamer and am looking for an out and out DAC to use with it. Would really appreciate your recommendation for my setup. Due to my location, I do not have the luxury of trying out these DACs at a local store. Thank you.
Thanks very much , I ask people go to my patreon first and get advice there. You can get a free 7 day trial. 😀
I found the Ares generally disappointing, but I do appreciate the balanced review. I guess my preference is with detail retrieval, speed, accuracy, and bass definition which the Ares I found to be lacking. Also, when things got busy it was difficult to follow along. But I can see how it would be appealing for people that stick to certain genres heavy on vocals, organic instruments, timbre, etc.
Yes, as an owner I'd tend to agree. A full-some timbre is its strong suit.
On the whole though, and as I said, this can be all that people want, so I think I was right to call it. Just listening to art Garfunkel’s bright eyes and sounds fab.
The ares is great at the price but I agree with the rest of your assessment. Denafrips has 3 other more expensive dacs for that very reason
Thank you for this great comparison. I am waiting for an updated version of the ADI, love the EQ feature but never owned one because currently, I get better DACs at its selling price.
Very interested in the Denafrips DAC
KEF R3 - Rotel 1592 Intergrated - Blue Sound 2i - which DAC will work better with this rig, Ares II or Pontus II?
See the description
Thank you for your reply
It seams that if I buy one of these DACs there is no return policy. Not sure which will sound better on my rig.
Or which will be an improvement over the DAC in the Rotel 1592 Intergrated.
“See the description” where?
Which country do you live in re returns?
USA
Hi I have a marantz pm8006 amp ,marantz cd6005 ,bluesound node ,fyne audio1501 speakers could you recommend a dac for this set up,
Great reviews by the way keep up the good work
What are the advantages of using the digital output/passthrough and creating a DAC loop as you have diagrammed? So my Hegel H95 doesn't have this option..Not that will stop me from trying out the Ares 2 with the H95...
The h390 manual says “Your device comes equipped with a DAC- Loop function that can be activated in the device menu. The function makes it possible to upgrade the digital inputs of the amplifier with an external high-end DAC. This is done by connecting the jitter reduced coaxial digital output of the amplifier to the external DAC. The output of the external DAC will need to be connected to the XLR input of the amplifier.” Basically the Hegel reclocks the digital and spits it out to the dac.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for the info - I echo the comments at the top of the page ; a 'trusted voice' in this virtual Hifi world is to be treasured...I'll check out your patreon.
@@maxadams1298 Thank you Max if it was you who just signed up. I'm gonna try and do 2-3 articles a week on the Patreon page with my videos, and little extra video opinions to make it better for subscribers there.
gret reviews, lot of osama's out there indeed. I own the ares and a great delta sigma, best ares2 review yet, and the less hyped one.
Thank you very much 😀
Thank you for the nice review. I thought the Denafrips Ares II was ok with simple music like female vocals or smooth jazz but it lacked robustness and detail. I sold mine a couple months ago. I much prefer my six year old PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC. I am awaiting the arrival of my Chord Qutest.
Thanks for sharing!
How’d it go?
Thanks for sharing! I always thought sounds great but how about rock music and great orchestral music? All Ares 2 reviews never adress these topics…
Great review. Just thinking out loud, but isn't the best way to alter the sound of your system to your liking - changing your speakers ? And keeping everything else as neutral as possible ? But I can understand that's not always practical.
Thank you. I think partly what is so attractive about DAC reviews, is they are a bit like the way you flavour food when you cook. A little bit of magic can make the dish. I think you are right, change speakers and amps to do more. But a pair of speakers or amp is like a brand of car you stick too from one model to the next, you fit stuff around it. Another reason as to the attractiveness of DACs which can make decent to big changes. 😁
Fantastic job! Your videos are somewhere in between Lady Gaga’s and Obama’s but much closer to Lady Gaga’s. Your comment was well received and made me laugh so loud my wife wanted to know what was so funny,
You put lot of effort in producing videos, appreciated. Considering rme contains a mid tier dac chip, but you like it a lot, how about its comparision with chinese dac makers where at this price you get higher end dac chips. Also your impression would be very important of the newly released smsl d300 dac, highly affordable with rohm dac chip.
Thank you. You may already know but the dac chip is not the be all and end all in eventual sound quality. Things like the power supply and analogue output stage too. So it’s not a reason to think X dac chip appears to have a better spec than another so the product will sound better.
Excellent video - very ell produced and informative. May I ask what your impression of the Ares II and Qutest are vs the Mytek DACs like Brooklyn ?
Thank you very much. Can answer the last point on Patreon as did try the mytek Brooklyn
Excellent review! I like the comparisons.
Thanks
What dac do you recommend for buchardt s400, unison research s6.?
I recommend signing up to patreon please.
Very good as always. No, even better! I love it.
Thanks for Stella comments. Hoping to do one on new versus old node from bluesound like this.
Thanks for the review, just happens these 3 are on my short list of dac's, it will be my very first dedicated dac and hopefully my last one. Now retired and looking to put together my last system. Can I get your viewpoint on possibly the choice of dac that may suit my system . I know its a subjective thing and depends on a lot of things but! heres the thing, cost wise 1) RME landed $1375 US...Ares II $1105 landed...Qutest $1140 bought locally ( New Zealand ) Considering the Qutest is local and cost is the best of the three but used where the other 2 are new I tend to go that way. But my gear consists of my new Willsenton R8 tube amp, speakers are the Triangle Genese Trio 90 db and my new built kit the Troels Gravesen Discovery 861 floor standers again about 90db, source is the Esound Platinum cd-e5 moded cd player. Preference in music is female vocal and acoustic music. Your selection would be much appreciated...thanks Alain
Thanks but please read description
Great video. Simon, I've been contemplating Bluesound Node but am being put off by comments that it's sound quality isn't up to par. I saw you using it here. Can the Node work as a good digital (optical) source into the RME or another decent DAC... without compromising on SQ? Coz I know the Node's DAC might not be a great. Thanks
the move to make is to buy the bluesound node then use the digital out into a superior dac rather than using the onboard dac which is crap. You buy the node for blue os functionality which is pretty great. I use a node 2i with my Holo Audio Spring KTE dac and it's been great.
Hi Shoaib, thank you. Donno about the node as new one out and haven’t tried it. Hoping too soon against Cambridge cxn v2 I have. The node works brilliantly as a digital transport. See my vid on the Auralic Aries g1. lol. 😀
For audiophiles maybe, but let’s not forget the market the node is aimed at. It just so happens as a transport for audiophiles it’s brilliant and hits at other pricier streamer. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Good to know. Was only wondering if a Linear Power Supply is needed to pull the most out of the Node as a streamer only function. But if you are satisfied, I think I can be too. I would have loved to use the Sub crossover function but in pure streamer mode, I guess that ain't possible. Yes, I am an aspiring Audiophile. Thanks mate.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 One more thing, I noticed you used an external clock...I've got the info IPurifier SPDIF reclocker sitting between the digital transport and the DAC...hope it's good enough...
Amazing review. I wonder how you compare the ares with bifrost 2
Thank you, haven’t tried that one I don’t think.
Excellent video!
BTW Rob Watts recommends Qutest to be connected via optical cable.Have you tried that?
Thank you. I don’t tbh as I tend to use my best Innuos zenith source over usb and the best source I have. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Please,try the optical input and younwill be amazed!Listen for depth and physicallity of the instruments!I have a glass Lifatec cable but the difference was apparent even with a cheap plastic one.
@@zzt231gr thanks for saying, when I do the next one I’ll be sure to check it out.
Excellent presentation as always. Quick question....I have had the RME for about a year now, and I'm very happy with it. I recently got a Hegel H120 amp. I got it based on brand reputation for Sonic quality, and the promise of roon readiness. The latter is a bit of a bust, but that's a different topic....(I've since deployed a Bricasti M5 as my streamer). Anyhow, my connection from the RME to the Hegel is simply via the balanced XLR connections. I'm using the RME as a preamp of sorts. Am I missing out on something by not using the Hegel DAC loop feature? As I see it I have a simple connection from DAC to amp and everything else going through the DAC. I don't really understand if there is a benefit by using that DAC loop feature. Your thoughts? Keep up the incredible work. You are a real professional.
Thanks very much David. You aren’t missing much by not having the dac loop feature which I don’t think the h120 exploits. Roon with Hegel is a bit of a sore topic but tbh you still get cd quality airplay through Roon to the h120 as I do with my h390. What amp did you upgrade from and your speakers you currently use out of interest?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Wow...thanks for such a speedy response. The Hegel was actually a sideways move. My original desktop setup was the RME connected to a pair of acoustic energy AE1-active monitors. This was to hold me over until my Decware Zen triode 2 watt tube amp arrived. That wait was about 6 months. Once I got the Decware, I sold the AE1's, and had the Decware Amp connected to the RME driving a pair of Omega Super 3 high output (small American mfg) monitors. I also occasionally connected my fully restored 1970s marantz 2245 receiver, just to change things up. The omegas proved to be a little too large for the desktop environment so right now the desktop setup consists of etherRegen switch, small green computer roon core, Bricasti M5 streamer, audiolab 6000cdt transport, RME DAC & Hegel H120 amp driving a pair of Harbeth p3esr speakers. That's the desktop rig...I also upgraded the RME power supply with a teddy pardo unit, which actually made a pretty noticeable difference. I moved the Decware Amp and Omega speakers to run the vinyl rig which is in a different room. I'm actually not a huge vinyl practitioner, despite having had about 1500 records when I was in high school, many many moons ago, which have long since gone away. It's kind of tough to start over again with acquiring vinyl. I also am getting lazy in my old age and really don't enjoy the ritual of playing a record, not to mention the surface noise, etc etc that most vinyl people find attractive. Anyhow, thank you so much for your response and your excellent, honest work. So many people rely on TH-cam reviewers, and one never knows just how "unbiased" they really are. You never know what's going on behind the scenes. However your work seems to be legit, honest, and objective. Thanks for that.
Hi Simon, I'm looking for a DAC to bring out the best of my Totem Forest speakers which are great at imaging and present music in a 3D like fashion. Qutest sounds like the better option. Thoughts?
Really depends Mario on those other qualities you want / need as I mentioned in my review.
Quality amplification will have a major impact on what comes out of the Totem Forest IMHO.
The duty on importing something from the USA is 20% and this will be charged not only on the value of the goods but also on how much it costs to ship to the UK. There's also import duty but also remember the price listed in many US stores is not inclusive of tax. So if the item is 800 bucks, you'll be charged VAT on that, the cost of delivery, any insurance on the parcel and the import tax.
That'll take it up to the price of the RME.
There's also an issue if you have a problem with the item down the line if they have no support in the UK. You'd have to send it back across the Atlantic to get seen to.
Was trying to follow your point as to why you are concerned with shipping from the USA to U.K. any of these products, when they are available in the U.K., for chord and rme, the ares is Chinese / Singapore. Can you clarify? One thing buying from a distributor on the denafrips is you might pay a little more but I suspect it it does go wrong the distributor will probably lend you something to tied you over.
Fantastic stuff Simon, really enjoyed the content, from the background music and graphics through to your views on the dacs themselves.
Thank you very much. The digital typing effect is pretty effective. I like the Anthony earls music I found and clipped a cover of moby’s porcelain with his new album video. All fair use as I’m not showing it all.
So basically if I have Cambridge audio cxnv2 then upgrading to blue sound node+ares2 combination makes sense...?
As I said in the review, a review is for a shortlist for consumers to find out. I don’t know what speakers, amps, tastes, budgets are all in the mix, to be able to advise. Also please see description.
Thank you for your review. I would love to try all these DACS in my system to see which I would prefer. However, like most, that is not possible so I have to do as much research as I can and take a gamble with what I believe would be my best match. Your video review has helped me get a better understanding. Presently I am looking to upgrade from the DAC in my CXN v2 as although it is good, I think it is too clean sounding for me. I am swinging towards an R-2R DAC as the more I read about them, the more I feel this is the sound signature that I am seeking. Your comment at the end though, with the comparison to the CXN v2 did make me wonder though, whether the gains I would get from an Ares II would justify the extra spending? Am I just throwing money away chasing a sound that I will never be happy with?
Thanks you Tony. I’m offering one on one chats on patreon, if you wanted to do that. Generally I ask for people to invest in me now, plus I can level more help on pluses and minuses privately. Thanks simon.
Did you get the DAC in the end? I'm pondering one to sit between my CXN v2 and ATC Amp and Speakers but wonder if any improvement/difference is worth the now £850+ outlay.
@@MattHill303 Yes I did upgrade my DAC. I went for a Cayin iDAC6 MKII and it is a massive improvement over the CXN V2. I found the DAC on eBay at a good price. It is not R-2R but very very good nonetheless. To try and describe how it is an improvement over the CXN, the CXN sounds detailed but cold, analytical, clinical. To my ears the CXN sounded flat. The Cayin iDAC 6mkii on the other hand still has that detail, but sounds much more natural, lusher, fat. Whereas the CXN sounded flat, the Cayin has layers and just makes music sound alive. I did not realise the difference would be so noticeable, but it really is. I guess this is also dependant on your other equipment but if you own decent gear, you owe it to your ears to get a better DAC. There's not many reviews of the Cayin DAC online but it really is very very good. Just like their amps, which are also top notch.
What happed to the less is more?
What do you mean
the pontus is about the same $ as the qutest.
Simon, I have an Hegel H190 and was thinking about PMC loudspeakers. And now I see you use this combo. Does these two cooperate well? Are you happy with it? Thank you
I'm gonna be doing a lot more content for Patreon is the plan. Sign up and you can have chats and pick my brains over these things which I am sure you can appreciate I can answer more freely there. It isn't expensive and more about support too, as there is only so much time I can answer on YT.
Indeed Simon, I haven't seen a more exemplary review video in every respect of production. Even the sound from the totem pole in the start sounds fantastic with cheap speakers!
My only question is you recommended comparing the Ares to the Venus. A Pontus comparison seems more logical wouldn't it?
Regardless, please continue your exceptional work. God bless you!
PS
I just ordered the new Topping E30 II, uses 2 AK4493S this time. Same chip as RME, only newer and dual. For bargain hunters like me, I try to push the enjoyment envelope whilst pushing the cost of ownership in the other direction. Cheers!!
Thanks very much Bobby for lovely compliments. Check out the video I just did on the Pontus 2. I’ve got the ifi zen 2 dac for my desk pc as I was using a more expensive one and for cheapish Cambridge audio minx speakers I’ve got. Every use case as they say…..😀👍🔉🎼
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Will do Simon. Btw, the Canadians over at audioexellence found the ifi Neo idsd outperformed the Ares II so the plot thickens? Cheers! 🍾
Always great Simon! You don't have Gaga's body, but your vids kick Bin Laden's ass.
Love it Mark 😂😂🤣, I bet Bin Laden thought the same although he probably wasn’t the type to watch ‘lady’. lol. His only connection - poker face. 🤣
Another great video. Any thoughts on how the Ares compares to the built in dac of the hegel? I have the h95 so the same as the one up to the 190 I think.
Thank you. I think I'm keeping that one for the Patreon subscribers. Sign up, if you haven't for more content.👍😁
Just wanted to let you know mate, that I've just now bought the Bluesound Node to be used as a digital transport based on your confidence in using this in your reference class setup. Should I be using it with Optical out or Coax out with the external DAC? Thanks
Hope it works for you too. Experiment on that one I’d say. Borrow two cables and return one if you don’t have two types already. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks. Just one more thing, do you recommend WiFi or LAN cable? Does that make a SQ difference at all? Thanks mate
@@Shoaibexpert try and see is my advice.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks maye
@@Shoaibexpert I bought the new node in June and ran it with the stock cables for a month and just as an experiment I bought a chord c-stream ethernet cable and an MCRU figure 8 mains cable. It definitely made a difference, the treble has a bit more sparkle and adding the mains cable gave the bottom end a bit more solidity.
The cost was £90 in the UK for both and if they had no effect I could easily have sent them back, but I've kept them as the up lift in sound quality is enough to justify keeping them.
I'd like to point out that if I hadn't changed the stock cables I could have lived with new node as it was. I use it as streaming transport in to my dac/preamp using coax cable.
At some point I'll try the node into my power amp and see how it's sounds on its own and see how the internal dac fares against my dac.
Great review once again! Do you prefer the sound of the Ares II or the RME ADI 2 ?
Thank you . I think they are both great not sitting on the fence. Different uses for different purposes
Would any of these give me a decent up lift over the internal dac on my Naim 272 streaming pre?
Please see description.
If you’ve been on the Detail Train , I highly recommend the Tone Train.
really enjoyed this... well done!
Thank you
Thank you...great!
Thanks too.
Great review, very informative.
I’m now very confused, I don’t know what type of sound I want from my PMC system.
Thank you very much Frederick. What PMCs do you have?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I have the PMC twenty 5.22. Lovely looking speakers, which really change dependent on source and room.
An external linear PowerSupply connected to the Qutest takes it up a few notch’s!
Depends for me.
What is the music at the end of the video?
A cover of ‘Chung Kuo’ by Vangelis on his China album . I’d also recommend the blade runner music he did, tracks like ‘the unknown man’. Great artist and early electronic pioneer. Love it.
I expected you to be as stern as osama.but u didn't.I aced you laughing out loud before you did.I love when u r hilarious. As usual fabulous content and production.I see you as professor of Hi Fi subject.When Simon says you take notes 📝.cheers
Simon, great review. Would you know if R2Rs generally work well with electronic music?
Thank you, I’m giving more thoughts on patreon later
Musik, sounding are so different. I took and bought the RME Adi-2 DAC FS , cause its coming the Hardware were Music are Mixed nearest to those in Studio. An alternative could be one of the SPL Audio DAC Range with Studio Hardware to get most out from the Recording information (Analog and Digital). Sometimes it’s the choice the Money. But after a few cheapest DAC under 100€ ( Chinese small boxes and some Oehlbach both like a DA and different Model with AD function ) are the RME in my eyes and point to choose on of the Best way like a transformation of the Home HiFi from Stereo Amp to a preamp with separate Amp‘(s) setup could not be better sound.
Thanks for getting me on to Anthony Earls!
Limited on what you can use on TH-cam but epidemic sound has some pretty good ones. Another I use a lot is a guy called Brendon Moeller
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I'll check out Brendon, thanks. You got me on to Todd Terje too previously, so much appreciated! You really do great production on your videos, keep up the good work!
You do put time and effort in producing these videos! May I ask, would you consider the Qutest to be a good match to an OTL amp in order to combine Qutest's detailed sound with the organic amp sound?
Thank you , always best to suck and see yourself 👍😀
Any experience or opinion on musical fidelity dacs? Longterm planning here to replace my preamp :)
I did the mx dac on my website and included in my best DACs video at the start.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 ahh, i gotta go look better then:))
Bit of long term planning. My pre amp has a dac build in, but is 10+ years old. Marantz av8003. Still sounds awesome though hehe
The Ares II is a TERRIFIC dac! I have owned mine for about a year and it beats the former Schiit and Chord dacs I have owned!
I agree it is a beast for the money. Love it.
which Chord DACS ? Can you elaborate how the Ares II is better?
Excellent review. These 3 DACs are precisely the ones I am considering to upgrade from my Musical Fidelity MX DAC. Costs will, of course, be a factor so my choice will probably be the Ares II to complement my current Hegel amp and Evo4.2 speakers.
Thank you. Glad I came in at the right time for you. Enjoy whatever you decide. 😀
what is the song you end the review with?
It’s a cover of vangelis’ chung kuo. A classic. Enjoy 😃
Great review! Effort appreciated. Have you had a chance to try the Topping D90SE or the Gustard x26 pro? These Chinese dacs get a lot of praise these days….would be interesting to get your 2 cents on them
thank you. I've heard lots about those and definitely on the list hopefully.
Good review.
I'm glad I went for the Ares2. You certainly get alot for your investment with real linear PSU built in.
(Listening with Node2i/ Musical Fidelity X-Ray/X-150/Magnepan LRS - see thumbnail).
The Ares makes the internal Node2i DAC sound boring and flat. The A2 tone is gorgeous!
I'm aware of the hall sound, ambience and the decay of notes far more with the Denafrips. It's quite addictive. Good to have 3 sound profiles too:-)
How does the internal Hegel DAC hold up? Is it worth the "upgrade"?
I wish Hegel would do amps without DACs. Seems silly to have to buy a feature which will become outdated whereas the amp can go for 20 years 🎶🤫🎶
What do you think of my comments about detail? The Hegel does hold up well. See the other review on it.
@@13thnotehifireviews7
Noted from other reviews also, but I'd rather go for beautiful tone than etching details...not that I've heard the chord. I feel music is more about tone than details at this point:-)
I also liked the Ares2 with my Kef LS50s/REL2.2 (Mu-Fi bridged amps and X-DAC X-PSU X-10v3), but for now it's staying in the LRS/REL2.2 system.
I've only had it a few months so still playing....
Thanks for replying mate, and greetings from a Brit in Montana USA :-)
Carlito Melon was gonna say if you were in eu do distance selling as law in Europe is to get refunds on stuff bought online, but don’t think applies in states
Which other reviews said that on detail?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I believe the British audiophiile compared the mojo to the Aries. Would be interesting to compare Pontus to the Qtest price wise?
Well Simon. I could state that you are one realy realy realy good reviewer, but thats not enough.
In my humble opinion your the best, and your productions are stellar,, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
Cheers, thank you and thanks again and I wish you a excellent weekend, my freind,, 🍻😎👍!
( Have you seen that the NAD M10 are coming as a V2 version. Now with variable high pass filter to the speakers and Sub out x2,, 💥🥰💥 )
Wow thanks Irene 😀. I’ve got to live up to now. Having a day off after this marathon - going up in my friends plane again
Sorry I didn’t scroll down to see the rest. I did see that with m10 as got the press release. Looks interesting :)
I'd give you ten likes if I could for the Vangelis tune in this video and the insane production quality. 👏 IMO a dac should be revealing and neutral, leaving the amp and speaker to provide tone and flavour, which is why I'd go for the Chord with no hesitation over the other two dacs, hands down better and yes you do get what you pay for for this one! However, moving up from the Qutest is tricky! The Chord Hugo TT2 is over 3x more expensive leaving a large gap... is there any DAC that can better that Qutest for what it's incredible at (Neutrality, speed, bass definition, air, separation, sounstage and detail) for less than the TT2? 🤔
Thank you very much. You are probably right on the Qutest. The Rme has refinement, better neutrality, bass extension and mid centric qualities over the Qutest, in a cheaper package , although you are right, and I said, so much is a preference game in hifi. Vangelis sounds great on the chord too. Enjoy.
Another wonderfully presented video..
Thank you! Cheers!
Brilliant quality videos
Cheers very much
RME all day!
Nice vid good effort.
I have questions: don’t you find a bit limiting trying gears just with one amp? You choose the Denafrip because of your Hegel and its own way to amplify a signal. Don’t you believe that with a different amp the choice would be different?
Now with this in mind don’t you believe that the Hegel sounds a bit off from reality?
Do you have a good class A amp to listen to this gear again?
Have you filled each one of the dacs a good dsd bit perfect signal using a pc with asio converted from analog master?
In few words are you shure you picked the Denafrip not to compensate the intricate problems of the Hegel?
I use other amps like mytek Brooklyn, but using one amp to test different gear is the best way to get an idea of character of Dacs. Also if it has an effect on one amp it generally does to others. To test every dac on every class of amp would be, I’m sure you can appreciate, be time prohibitive, particularly given how long this took.
No the Hegel is one of best atm. Class a is generally not as good an all rounder. The Hegel doesn’t have problems , I’m judging a preference you have for class a and preference and best two separate things I always mention. cd quality is all you need into a good dac , no dsd etc. Bw Simon