I just stumbled upon this video yesterday: th-cam.com/video/EwZiX1mc9Zs/w-d-xo.html @HEADquarter Audio which seems to be the channel of a Denafrips dealer for Germany. Tried it this morning, it takes 5 min, it's free, and it does make an audible difference to my unit. That slight dryness I noticed in the upper region. Well, believe it or not, that is all gone now and airiness even improved a bit. As a whole, it sounds a bit richer and bigger (not that it didn't sound rich and big to begin with). So if you're open-minded and adventurous I suggest giving it a try, the worst-case scenario is it does nothing for your unit. :)
Saw that video too and tried it. This modification is very easy to do and it does no harm. So why not? Tapping on the top while tightening or loosening the screw ever so slightly does make a difference in sound of the Ares2 casing. Whether that translates in better sound coming form the speakers? Sorry, I'm not sure. I do not have the golden ears to recognize a difference right away. I would have to go back and forth several times to make sure I'm not imagining things. That I will leave to the reviewers :-)
I also tried it. I want to mention that in my case, the 6 screws on the underside would not lock tightly after unscrewing. The distributor in Singapore told me that the base plate metal is thin and its easy to have this happen. He also said it won't be a problem (the screws are there, just not tight). But I do advise people to rescrew these things very carefully, and be prepared for them not to lock in as tightly if you overtighten by accident. That's my experience anyway.
I did with Denafrips Iris DDC with a little doubt. And it worked surprisingly. I don't know why the method works but it opens up the sound more. It is a mystery to me though.
I did the tweak but I’m not sure about the difference. It’s only because I don’t remember the sound before I do it. Sorry. But I feel no need to go back. Thanks.
This gentlemen's English is excellent, and I am a well-spoken American with 3 university degrees, two in literature. Sure, he has an accent, but his fluency extends beyond verbal accuracy. He speaks like a poet in the language, and he has a poet's passion. I'm glad I saw his video.
I’m not a native English speaker, but I feel the same way too. Some reviewers talk much about the quality of the device in question, but it seems they don’t care about the quality of what they are doing themselves. I’m not talking about the foreign accent but the effort to be understood.
Most of times I have hard time to pick words from British reviewers. I'm not a native speaker but I think that the heavy British accent is the worst of all. If you want to hear another very interesting accent, check out DiodeGoneWild channel. He is at another level.
Back again for the oversampling instructions. 😂 This was the video that brought me to your channel (and sold me on this DAC). Still watching you and still enjoying my Ares II!
I love listening to your analysis of this Dac. I have watched it about three time to help me decide how i would feel when listening to my music with this Dac. Listening to you talk about hifi is as though i am there myself and i can feel an emotional connection with the music. I listen to many film scores and revisit the moment i saw a film through the music. Thanks so much. I am so happy i found your channel. I am 62, my children are all grown and i finally have time to enjoy my love of music with some better equipment.
I just purchased the Ares II and all I can say is that upon plugging it in... Let's just say my jaw dropped. The SQ was very noticeable, 100% BETTER, over my Schiit Gungnir. I thought something was off in my system... Well, the system is fine, it was the DACs, I have a few. I have been switching them out and have been pulling my hair out due to the fact that after just a dozen tracks I cannot stand the sound coming out of my KLH Model 5 speakers. It was just too harsh, clinical and sterile. The highs became grating and ear splitting to me the more I listen. And yes, it sounds great, huge soundstage, dynamics, blah, blah, blah... But it quickly got to a point where it was not enjoyable to listen too... It is like going to the dentist's office, never an enjoyable experience. The Ares II solved that issue, now the sound coming out of my speakers is pleasant to the ear, it sounds like it did when I was a kid in the 70's playing records on my father's stereo system. I do not need to hear a mouse farting in the corner of the studio or the janitor changing a lightbulb down the hall from the studio either. I just want music, that sounds like MUSIC! The Ares II delivered in spades. I must say, Denafrips knocked it out of the park. I was going to purchase the Pontus II after hearing the Ares II, but it is sold out... So, I picked up the Iris DDC, I believe that should get me darn close to the Pontus II. I also ordered the Hades Preamp and Thallo amplifier. Ordered them in black, keep the synergy going with the Ares II and Iris. Thank you for the review, you were spot on.
I bought this DAC and found your description is all right. It’s neural in a good sense. It’s powerful enough when the powerfulness is expected, it’s clear when the details are important, spacious when the atmosphere is required, and it does them all naturally. This one is very expensive for me but it is worth the price tag. No regret. Thanks.
Great Job my dude just got mine and Wow love the added weight big smooth sound IMHO Being a Vintage guy at heart reminds me of that old skool analog sound - hardly no glare thanks for the video
Tremendous Review. You have a rare ability to paint a picture of an items sound, which few are able to do....... Always look forward to your opinion & thoughts... Without doubt the best reviewer of Hi-Fi on this channel.
Over the years I've come to really appreciate the way you describe your sound experience. Would love to hear your impressions of the Schiit Bifrost 2..
It is the best revision I have seen in a long time, technical but passionate and with an analogy worthy of a poet. My congratulations gentleman, I'm going for the Ares II.
I watch a lot of hi-fi reviewers on TH-cam and you are one of the best - very descriptive and I like your analogies. Especially impressive considering English isn't your native language. I've been considering the Topping D90, SMSL 400 and Denafrips for a while. They all seem to have certain characteristics that I like but I can't make my mind up! In the meantime I've bought a Topping D50s for a quarter of the price just to see how different a modern DAC is compared to my old Yulong D100. I'll be using a tube amp so I think that the Denafrips or D90 might be best suited if I'm not happy with the D50s.
Upgrade the opamp to a muses02 on your d50s and you’re set. Bigger soundstage and separation of instruments. Also gives a 3D imaging like a r2r dac in my opinion.
@@mtnmankeith9069 Hmm, I like the idea but this seems to suggest it's a bit snake oil like...www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rolling-replacing-op-amps-in-topping-d10-dac.4576/
@@BeatPoet67 check out this review of the topping e30. He talks about the opamp in the topping d50s around 9 : 40 in the video. It’s when he compares the e30 to the d50s. He also has a video talk about the p50 topping power supply that’s worth checking out. th-cam.com/video/J3W8wh_nObA/w-d-xo.html
Fantastic review, very eloquent. My Ares II is due to arrive tomorrow to complement my Topping D90. I can't wait to find out if my hunch turns out to be right in terms of the Ares being the yin to my D90's yang :)
Let us know your impressions... I'm not going to say the Ares II is my end game DAC, but it very well could be, as it sounds that good. So far, I am incredibly happy! My music now sounds like MUSIC! My other DACs were just to clinical, like visiting the dentist's office, never an enjoyable experience. The Ares II fixed my dental issue. ;-)
@@michaelwright1602 I don't want to write too much yet as I've not had the chance to spend enough time with it this week. But one thing is for sure - it is DIFFERENT and I am not sending it back :) Gear used: Focal Utopia, Hifiman HE1000se, Sennheiser HD800, Topping A90 (clean amplification which I believe allows both my DACs to show their true colours). A few initial thoughts: 1. OS mode with the Slow filter is the way to go. I could see myself sporadically using the NOS mode but only if I wanted to chill out, relax, or listen to music in the background without being moved by it. Otherwise it's just not enough in terms of impact, separation and detail. 2. First thing that struck me was the soundstage holography and depth - the opposite of the D90 which puts everything right in front of me. Ares II pushes music slightfly further away from me, presenting it on a bigger and deeper stage which makes everything sound more like a live performance as opposed to listetning to a record. 3. Everything sounds smoother whilst still being clean and quite detailed. I am finding myself being able to listen at higher volumes without being attacked by any harshness (bear in mind that amp volume needs to be higher anyway as the Ares II is quieter than the D90). 4. For anything with real instruments, especially more relaxed tracks - Ares II makes it sound more interesting and more believable than the D90. 5. For everything requiring direct in-your-face impact, I think the D90 still hits a bit harder and can be addictive in its detail, accuracy and speed. Having said that... 6. The more time I spend with the Ares II, the more difficult it is to return to the D90 because, as someone has mentioned elsewhere, it feels a bit like going from listetning to a performance to listetning to a recording. 7. Ares II turns my Utopia into an easier-to-listen-to headphone, it seems to have a similar effect on the HD800 (the soundstage gets even bigger!). However, the HE1000se does not seem to have a particularly good synergy with it, I think it's because of the nature of the planar driver and its already softer/more laid-back presentation. The Ares II feels like a bit of overkill whilst the D90 gives this particular headphone the punch it needs. It's the other way round with the Utopia. Very, very interesting... :)
Great video! I also came from the Modi Multibit to the Ares and I noticed the same things you mentioned here. I use mine with a couple of headphone amps. With the solid state amp the dac is on the dry side of neutral like you said. But with the tube amp that little bit of sweetness you want shows up. 😉
What a beautiful Chanel, you’re doing a great job Man. And I love your personality with you being so sweet and helpful, I just Subscribed. Keep these videos coming,
Great review, I feel like you described a lot of the aspects of the Ares II very well. As an owner I can attest to many of the things that you described.
Tried my friend's Ares 2 for a week before getting the SMSL SU-9. Ares 2 has a sweet sound that's easy to listen to . I was leaning towards buying one . After listening to the SMSL for a couple days, I knew I couldn't live with the Ares. SMSL sounds quicker , more analytical and adds a tiny bit of gloss I prefer . Great review as always
Wait what?? I got both here but ares is way more detailed and faster. I hear more details with the ares. I didn't expect that and almost couldn't believe it. What filter settings did you use? Best is OS slow. To bad I can't use my ares ii with my Cambridge cxc. It skips and pops every song 2 or 3 times. Design flaw.
The best review I've seen on the Ares II. I've had mine for 6 wweks or so and what I hear is exactly as you described. The mid/treble dryness is a drawback for me on classical piano and violin. Other than that, it's amazing. And I just saw the link to the "screw" tweak. I will try it. Thanks!
Excellent review - your clear description of what you heard is very helpful. A very direct comparison would be with the Schiit Audio Bifrost 2; which costs essentially the same as the Ares II. It is a multibit, build with chips rather than a discrete resistor ladder. The chips are apparently typically used in things like medical devices, and are used in a novel way by Schiit. It has 3 inputs (USB, optical, coax S/PIDF) and an absolute phase inversion toggle - and it has a remote. But no filtering choices, for the user to try out.
Brilliant review and I love the way you explain the sound characteristics! My only thought is that the LS 50 speakers have raised output between 2kHz and 5kHz and might be exaggerating the treble response...... 👍
Best review I ever heard of my actual DAC,you analize very well this product...however I prefer NOS in the 95% of recording and OS slow in the other,probably depens by the speaker in the setup,I use Os for "clean" and "open" some bad recording👍
Hello - (several questions) I am very close to buying this DAC. Where do you live and how long did it take to receive the DAC? I’m assuming you purchased from them directly. Did you have a chip based DAC before getting the ARES and was there a discernible difference in sound quality? Was there anything you did not like and did you use this in a balanced capacity? Thank you and hopefully you are enjoying this DAC.
Maybe I can help you out a little here. I have both Bifrost 1 Multibit and the Bifrost 2 and I'm actually going to sell the B2, because while it is overall superior imo, in terms of bass response, clarity, resolution... it is also somewhat laid back or maybe little brighter sounding, I'm not 100% sure what's the deal with it, but it's just too sharp to my ears when I blast the volume. (using B1/B2 - Feliks Elise/Woo WA2 - HD650, Focal Clear Pro's) The B1, is warmer and since I like to listen loud, I just can't do the B2. Really curious about he Ares II tho.
@@johnratcliffe6438 warm vs bright are opposites as far as I understand it. Opposite of laid back is forward. www.psaudio.com/askpaul/forward-vs-laid-back-speakers/
Hi. I see very nice improvements in your reviews. Together with the SMSL M400 and now the Denafrips Ares II a nice change of style for reviewing instead of the desk view you used before. Second, also nice that you approach a bit higher tier than entry level gear . Third, not all youtube reviewers are so honest about how they got the review item. Fourth : you mentioned your setup which is essential to judge a DAC : in what chain is it placed (KEf LS50 and Musical fidelity - what model ?). And fifth: as one of the few honest reviewers in Europe I don't see why you shouldn't hit the target of 10 K subscribers soon instead of the usual reviewers from the US :-) So keep up the good work !
Based on your description here, and the fact that this little jewel is universally praised, I ordered mine 3 weeks ago. In spite of Vinshine saying it would ship in 7-10 days plus shipping time, it shipped the next day (Sunday evening!). FedEx said shipping would be 10 days. It arrived a week early...3 day shipping China to Montana US!!! I must compliment Alvin at Vinshine: He is most communicate over WhatsApp. Confidence inspiring should there be any issues. I doubt a local dealer would be as helpful or responsive :-) As for sound quality compared to my older Musical Fidelity $1800 X-DAC X-PSU X-10v3, I hear the DENSITY you describe, more clarity depth of soundstage, things I prize....hall acoustics and imaging in classical recordings are very well conveyed with a full sweet timbre. Love it:-) I'm auditioning with Kef LS50s and Magnepan LRS to decide which system it will ultimately serve.... THANKs again for a very accurate review 🙂
Great review as always 👏🏼 I would be really interested in hearing your opinion of the MUSICIAN PEGASUS R2R in comparison with this product, as they are often placed head to head in most reviews..
I was very impressed and enlightened at the same time. I am looking for a DAC at this time in the under 1500 range. There are a lot of choices. I enjoy and listen to exclusively Rock and Roll, 60's 70's etc, stream and CD. I just replaced a Cd player, with a transport Audio lab 6000cdt, what an improvement, hoping to achieve a similar result with another DAC, even though I love my Peachttree PreDac (preamp) brand new. I think your review helped me GREATLY. Thanks so much Robert TN
I have the Ares2 for a few months now and I love it for all the reasons you mentioned. It has more than enough inputs and I can even connect two amplifiers. I have a modern amplifier from Kinki with XLR and a vintage SansuiAU9500 with RCA connectors. The one is very accurate and powerful and the other is powerful and warm. I can have the sound I like at the moment I like it. I just saw your other video on raspberry pi which is exactly the kind of simple explanation I was looking for (I have not had a clear idea how streamers fit in the overall picture before). The raspberry pi is definitely a better solution for me than having the amplifier and DAC next to the the computer and long speakercables to the speakers in the living room. With the raspberry pi I can have all hifi equipment in the living room. I just need an ethernet cable and the raspberry pi, hallelluja! So thank you very much for that video too.
Denafrips recommended not having both outputs plugged in.... There's no output stage so there is a high impedance, it's a high load on the ladders even if one amplifier is not turned on.
Like the comparison to SMSL DAC, had similar experience with SMSL SU-8, it has the "wow" factor, but in similar analogy, it's a pretty girl that might dazzle you at first and seem really amazing, but once you spend some time with her, you notice quickly that it's not one you would want to live with. SU-8 sounded artificial compared to Bifrost Multibit in my experience.
Great description. Big help to me as I'm deciding if the ares ii price is justified for me. Seriously looking at a modi multibit and heard rumor of new offerings from schiit but haven't confirmed if thats true
Wow, Impressive review. Hits just the right Timbre;-) I love your detailed descriptive style. Just listening to you speak makes me feel like listening deeper into the music. Checking out the "Wood" album right now! Maybe you could try a J-fet or tube preamp for the liquidity you seek?
Poštovanje, imam dva pitanja. Kad bi usporedili SMSL SU 10 i Denafrips Ares II - koji je je Vaš favorit i zašto? Drugo pitanje koje kablove korisite - zanima me da li ima razlike između coax i I2S kablova? Puno hvala, Pavle iz Karlovca.
Pozdrav, meni bi favorit bio SU-10 iz razloga zato što je ima više dinamike, više detalja i čistine generalno. Ares II jedino ima veću zvučnu scenu ali malo zaobli zvuk i proguta najfinije detalje. Koristio sam Ares II preko godinu dana i zamenio sam ga bio sa SMSL M500 MKII svojevremeno. Model SU-10 je još bolji, tako da za mene tu nema dileme. Apropo I2S i Coax... koji zvuči bolje će zavisiti više od toga kako je ta veza urađena na uređajima koji su spojeni (koji risiveri se koriste i sl.) nego od samih kablova. I2S je na papiru novija i superiornija veza ali na nemalom broju uređaja sam imao slučaj da Coax radi jednako ili bolje. Ne bih se lično uopšte opterećivao oko toga prilikom nabavke uređaja... Pritom I2S ne radi uvek između svaka dva uređaja jer ta vrsta povezivanja nije standardizovana još uvek.
Compliments for the reviews and the channel, I especially like how descriptive your reviews are when it comes to the sound signature of the device. I have a question, hope you can help. I am considering an upgrade, currently, I own a Pioneer N-50A streamer. I am pretty satisfied with it, a really solid DAC inside and it sits nicely in my system. I didn't have a chance to try out newer gen DACs in this class but based on what I see reading and watching reviews, they should bring solid improvements over older-gen DACs, even compared to higher-end devices from past generations. I have a pretty resolving system (Dynaudio focus with Simaudio amplification). Do you think I might obtain reasonably solid improvement with this DAC (or SMSL M400 for that matter) if I make this upgrade? I would appreciate mostly improvements in soundstage depth, low and mid-bass resolution, and naturalness of the instrument tones and overall presentation, ie making it sound less digital. Thanks in advance!
You've not really heard your own music if that Pioneer is what you've had. Get a Limetree Bridge streamer (very, very clean and transparent compared to mass produced Japanese fare) feeding into this Ares 2 DAC. It'll make you rediscover music.
Not at all, I personally really enjoyed your in-depth review and enthusiasm for the music! I feel like you’ve explained the Ares II very well. I hope you can do one for the Denafrips Pontus in the near future? Cheers.
Fantastic review. one of the best reviews AFA describing the sound, your way of putting your thoughts across is 'very relatable'. getting carried away is perfectly alright since you ARE listening in deep into your music and explaining a 'human' experience! Looking forward a sound comparison between the modi mulitbit and ARES!!
Great comparative review but ... Inquiring minds want to know ... How does the Delta-Sigma sound aspect of both these DAC's compare to Schiit Modi3 "weighted down"?
Thanks for your generous support! R26 is a better sounding DAC in my opinion. It has equally big soundstage and natural tone but noticeably more revealing of fine details. Dynamic swings are also better with R26. It's my favorite DAC up to $2000.
I have an SMSL sU9 but cant afford a denafrips ares II.. but would I get better sound from a denafrips ares II dac vs fluance turntable with ortofon 2m blue and ifi zen phono? so I can sell Su9 and turntable to reach into this.
Just got an Ares II. Somehow I prefer the NOS so far. It is like an entirely different type of animal. The OS sounds fantastic there is no doubt, but NOS sounds like the sound is all around me even if I can't pinpoint anything (comparing to OS). Also tried the loosening the screws. For me it results in a bit more precise sound in NOS. Haven't listened enough to OS to compare. Screws were not really tightened though, maybe just the back one.
On the fence with this DAC as I don’t have the new node, only the 2i, therefore I can not utilize the USB connection, which I think will not allow me to maximize the DAC. Am I way off here?
You sir, have a gift of painting a picture of what you hear with these devices. I just bought an Ares II and your description of the characteristics is spot-on, as well as your comparison with the Modi Multibit, which I also own. Keep up the good work. How did you find the mid-bass? I have only seen one review which described the mid bass to be recessed, which I also find. Bass extension is fine however.
@@MojoMagic977 Definitely an upgrade in terms of clarity, naturalness and soundstage. I ultimitately sold it though, as I felt it needed more bass. There is still a part of me that misses it, but I have another DAC that provides more bass (albeit less detail). I kept the Multibit too as it's cheap and cheerful - and sounds full.
Balanced amplifiers are unusual? I didn’t even know this. I bought one from lake people many years ago and it is balanced. I bought the Ares II some days ago but I‘m waiting for the cables to arrive and couldn’t test it in my setting yet. But it sounded great when I tested it, though the guy I bought it from had 1600€ headphones from Hifiman which are a little overkill.
Great review, the Denafrips sits on top of my wish list (of DACs within any reasonable price range) but the Topping D90 MQA may be a slightly more reasonable alternative (already a stretch budget wise really).
Great review! I was wondering i have an Musical fidelity m6i, and want to stream music, what is the better option getting the Ares for example and adding a simple streamer to it? Or do i get something like the Cambridge audio 851n?...
I use a Bluesound Node2i, the internal DAC is pretty good, but with the Denafrips Ares2 it's a better match for the resolution available from the Mu-Fi amp. Pontus probably a better match...
How does this unit compare to the geselli labs j2s with the sparkos? I’m curious. Doubting between the two but can’t find a proper comparison. Hope you can help me! 😁
This one would give you bigger soundstage but softer and less resolving sound. Shallower bassline and less dynamic. Geshelli is more revealing, faster, cleaner. It sounds three-dimensional too but in a narrower soundstage. I would personally go for J2S without a doubt. It does too many things better to be ignored.
I said it once and will say it again. If you like "monitor" realistic music go for monitor speakers. KEFs are everything but accurate/monitory lol ... I mean yeah they look sexieh :-)
What about the phase setting? DId you leave it on or off? According to Alvin in Singapore the ‘on’ setting is with light on ( I think the manual has it wrong)
@@iiWiReviews this is where I think the Manual is wrong (or at least my version of manual). I asked ALvin at Vinshine Audio about it. I am quoting his reply: ALVIN- "1. I just realized the mistake in the manual. LED on means it's in a positive phase. 2. Phase LED is ON means 0 degree. "
@@iiWiReviews did you hear much difference between the phase settings? Hardly any reviews mention it. And it's not helped by the manual being wrong I believe. thank you for very detailed insightful review. The image of a beautiful clear light on the music you use rings true. I cherish my Ares 2. In my all tube set up, the dryness you mention is not so apparent.
Isn't it a problem with the Denafrips to expose the low-fidelity of low-fidelity recordings (early Neil Young for example) whereas the SMSL is more forgiving to this kind of music? I guess which DAC you prefer depends much on the type of music you mostly listen to.
Yes, SMSL would be more forgiving for any type of harsh/thin/edgy recording. But Ares is not any worse than your average non-warming DAC. It's a bit brighter up top but not edgy and thin sounding by any means. It also has very hefty bassline which is always good for such recordings.
I just stumbled upon this video yesterday: th-cam.com/video/EwZiX1mc9Zs/w-d-xo.html @HEADquarter Audio which seems to be the channel of a Denafrips dealer for Germany. Tried it this morning, it takes 5 min, it's free, and it does make an audible difference to my unit. That slight dryness I noticed in the upper region. Well, believe it or not, that is all gone now and airiness even improved a bit. As a whole, it sounds a bit richer and bigger (not that it didn't sound rich and big to begin with). So if you're open-minded and adventurous I suggest giving it a try, the worst-case scenario is it does nothing for your unit. :)
it's nice that u did this little update-u obviously care about what u r doing. thanks
Saw that video too and tried it. This modification is very easy to do and it does no harm. So why not? Tapping on the top while tightening or loosening the screw ever so slightly does make a difference in sound of the Ares2 casing. Whether that translates in better sound coming form the speakers? Sorry, I'm not sure. I do not have the golden ears to recognize a difference right away. I would have to go back and forth several times to make sure I'm not imagining things. That I will leave to the reviewers :-)
I also tried it. I want to mention that in my case, the 6 screws on the underside would not lock tightly after unscrewing. The distributor in Singapore told me that the base plate metal is thin and its easy to have this happen. He also said it won't be a problem (the screws are there, just not tight). But I do advise people to rescrew these things very carefully, and be prepared for them not to lock in as tightly if you overtighten by accident. That's my experience anyway.
I did with Denafrips Iris DDC with a little doubt. And it worked surprisingly. I don't know why the method works but it opens up the sound more. It is a mystery to me though.
I did the tweak but I’m not sure about the difference. It’s only because I don’t remember the sound before I do it. Sorry. But I feel no need to go back. Thanks.
This gentlemen's English is excellent, and I am a well-spoken American with 3 university degrees, two in literature. Sure, he has an accent, but his fluency extends beyond verbal accuracy. He speaks like a poet in the language, and he has a poet's passion. I'm glad I saw his video.
I’m not a native English speaker, but I feel the same way too. Some reviewers talk much about the quality of the device in question, but it seems they don’t care about the quality of what they are doing themselves. I’m not talking about the foreign accent but the effort to be understood.
Most of times I have hard time to pick words from British reviewers. I'm not a native speaker but I think that the heavy British accent is the worst of all. If you want to hear another very interesting accent, check out DiodeGoneWild channel. He is at another level.
Yes, I’ve noticed too that his command of English is very very good. Great verbal skills.
He has a rhythm
Absolutely fabulous review . Excellent . Your analogies are perfect . Thank you !
Again your description of sound quantity's are very impressive.
Haha, yes whether you're a lucky bastard or not. 👍
You knocked this one out of the park as usually. You have a way of describing sound that just makes sense. The Hammer analogy was excellent!!!
Back again for the oversampling instructions. 😂 This was the video that brought me to your channel (and sold me on this DAC). Still watching you and still enjoying my Ares II!
I love listening to your analysis of this Dac. I have watched it about three time to help me decide how i would feel when listening to my music with this Dac. Listening to you talk about hifi is as though i am there myself and i can feel an emotional connection with the music. I listen to many film scores and revisit the moment i saw a film through the music. Thanks so much. I am so happy i found your channel. I am 62, my children are all grown and i finally have time to enjoy my love of music with some better equipment.
As someone looking at buying this DAC, this may be the best review and description I’ve seen.
Great job here 👍🏻
Izuzetna recenzija, majstore svaka čast, jedan si od najrafiniranijih recenzenta na tubeu. Samo tako nastavi, sve najbolje!
Watched the entire thing--great review! You're the best out there on describing how things actually sound
Watching/listening to your reviews is actually helping me differentiate between products. It is helping me narrow the DAC field somewhat. Appreciated.
I just purchased the Ares II and all I can say is that upon plugging it in... Let's just say my jaw dropped. The SQ was very noticeable, 100% BETTER, over my Schiit Gungnir. I thought something was off in my system...
Well, the system is fine, it was the DACs, I have a few. I have been switching them out and have been pulling my hair out due to the fact that after just a dozen tracks I cannot stand the sound coming out of my KLH Model 5 speakers.
It was just too harsh, clinical and sterile. The highs became grating and ear splitting to me the more I listen. And yes, it sounds great, huge soundstage, dynamics, blah, blah, blah... But it quickly got to a point where it was not enjoyable to listen too... It is like going to the dentist's office, never an enjoyable experience.
The Ares II solved that issue, now the sound coming out of my speakers is pleasant to the ear, it sounds like it did when I was a kid in the 70's playing records on my father's stereo system.
I do not need to hear a mouse farting in the corner of the studio or the janitor changing a lightbulb down the hall from the studio either. I just want music, that sounds like MUSIC! The Ares II delivered in spades.
I must say, Denafrips knocked it out of the park. I was going to purchase the Pontus II after hearing the Ares II, but it is sold out... So, I picked up the Iris DDC, I believe that should get me darn close to the Pontus II. I also ordered the Hades Preamp and Thallo amplifier. Ordered them in black, keep the synergy going with the Ares II and Iris.
Thank you for the review, you were spot on.
I bought this DAC and found your description is all
right. It’s neural in a good sense. It’s powerful enough when the powerfulness
is expected, it’s clear when the details are important, spacious when the atmosphere
is required, and it does them all naturally. This one is very expensive for me
but it is worth the price tag. No regret. Thanks.
Agreed!👍
Great review, very detailed like always. Thank you for the great work you do.
I really like the analogies you make, it sure helps with understanding the differences.
Great Job my dude just got mine and Wow love the added weight big smooth sound IMHO Being a Vintage guy at heart reminds me of that old skool analog sound - hardly no glare thanks for the video
You are wonderful to listen to and I find your reviews are realistic and well evaluated. Thank you 😊
Excellent comprehensive comparison! Keep up the great work.
Tremendous Review.
You have a rare ability to paint a picture of an items sound, which few are able to do.......
Always look forward to your opinion & thoughts...
Without doubt the best reviewer of Hi-Fi on this channel.
Very good review, I love your descriptions, excellent!
Over the years I've come to really appreciate the way you describe your sound experience. Would love to hear your impressions of the Schiit Bifrost 2..
I wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎊. You are my kind of reviewer 👏. And may you have a fabulous year ahead🎼🎼🎼
It is the best revision I have seen in a long time, technical but passionate and with an analogy worthy of a poet. My congratulations gentleman, I'm going for the Ares II.
excellent review! I ordered one a couple of days ago and it's on the way!
had it for a week now and am Digging it
Great description of the differences between the M400 and the Ares.
I ordered the Ares ii before watching your video. Thank you.
I watch a lot of hi-fi reviewers on TH-cam and you are one of the best - very descriptive and I like your analogies. Especially impressive considering English isn't your native language. I've been considering the Topping D90, SMSL 400 and Denafrips for a while. They all seem to have certain characteristics that I like but I can't make my mind up!
In the meantime I've bought a Topping D50s for a quarter of the price just to see how different a modern DAC is compared to my old Yulong D100. I'll be using a tube amp so I think that the Denafrips or D90 might be best suited if I'm not happy with the D50s.
Upgrade the opamp to a muses02 on your d50s and you’re set. Bigger soundstage and separation of instruments. Also gives a 3D imaging like a r2r dac in my opinion.
@@mtnmankeith9069 Hmm, I like the idea but this seems to suggest it's a bit snake oil like...www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rolling-replacing-op-amps-in-topping-d10-dac.4576/
@@BeatPoet67 check out this review of the topping e30. He talks about the opamp in the topping d50s around 9 : 40 in the video. It’s when he compares the e30 to the d50s. He also has a video talk about the p50 topping power supply that’s worth checking out.
th-cam.com/video/J3W8wh_nObA/w-d-xo.html
@@mtnmankeith9069 where do you buy op amps ? New to this .
How is the Topping D50s?
Fantastic review, very eloquent. My Ares II is due to arrive tomorrow to complement my Topping D90. I can't wait to find out if my hunch turns out to be right in terms of the Ares being the yin to my D90's yang :)
Let us know your impressions... I'm not going to say the Ares II is my end game DAC, but it very well could be, as it sounds that good. So far, I am incredibly happy! My music now sounds like MUSIC! My other DACs were just to clinical, like visiting the dentist's office, never an enjoyable experience. The Ares II fixed my dental issue. ;-)
@@michaelwright1602 I don't want to write too much yet as I've not had the chance to spend enough time with it this week. But one thing is for sure - it is DIFFERENT and I am not sending it back :)
Gear used: Focal Utopia, Hifiman HE1000se, Sennheiser HD800, Topping A90 (clean amplification which I believe allows both my DACs to show their true colours).
A few initial thoughts:
1. OS mode with the Slow filter is the way to go. I could see myself sporadically using the NOS mode but only if I wanted to chill out, relax, or listen to music in the background without being moved by it. Otherwise it's just not enough in terms of impact, separation and detail.
2. First thing that struck me was the soundstage holography and depth - the opposite of the D90 which puts everything right in front of me. Ares II pushes music slightfly further away from me, presenting it on a bigger and deeper stage which makes everything sound more like a live performance as opposed to listetning to a record.
3. Everything sounds smoother whilst still being clean and quite detailed. I am finding myself being able to listen at higher volumes without being attacked by any harshness (bear in mind that amp volume needs to be higher anyway as the Ares II is quieter than the D90).
4. For anything with real instruments, especially more relaxed tracks - Ares II makes it sound more interesting and more believable than the D90.
5. For everything requiring direct in-your-face impact, I think the D90 still hits a bit harder and can be addictive in its detail, accuracy and speed. Having said that...
6. The more time I spend with the Ares II, the more difficult it is to return to the D90 because, as someone has mentioned elsewhere, it feels a bit like going from listetning to a performance to listetning to a recording.
7. Ares II turns my Utopia into an easier-to-listen-to headphone, it seems to have a similar effect on the HD800 (the soundstage gets even bigger!). However, the HE1000se does not seem to have a particularly good synergy with it, I think it's because of the nature of the planar driver and its already softer/more laid-back presentation. The Ares II feels like a bit of overkill whilst the D90 gives this particular headphone the punch it needs. It's the other way round with the Utopia.
Very, very interesting... :)
You describe sound so so so well that I'd love to see your take on RME vs Ares 2 neck to neck.
Excellent review and comparisons. Thank you.
Great video! I also came from the Modi Multibit to the Ares and I noticed the same things you mentioned here. I use mine with a couple of headphone amps. With the solid state amp the dac is on the dry side of neutral like you said. But with the tube amp that little bit of sweetness you want shows up. 😉
May I know which are the amps you paired with for the description you posted?
What a beautiful Chanel, you’re doing a great job Man. And I love your personality with you being so sweet and helpful, I just Subscribed. Keep these videos coming,
Great review, I feel like you described a lot of the aspects of the Ares II very well. As an owner I can attest to many of the things that you described.
Tried my friend's Ares 2 for a week before getting the SMSL SU-9. Ares 2 has a sweet sound that's easy to listen to . I was leaning towards buying one . After listening to the SMSL for a couple days, I knew I couldn't live with the Ares. SMSL sounds quicker , more analytical and adds a tiny bit of gloss I prefer . Great review as always
I just got SU-9 today but haven't even had a chance to unpack it yet. :)
@@iiWiReviews Ooh looking forward to hear your thoughts on SU9!
Wait what?? I got both here but ares is way more detailed and faster. I hear more details with the ares. I didn't expect that and almost couldn't believe it. What filter settings did you use? Best is OS slow. To bad I can't use my ares ii with my Cambridge cxc. It skips and pops every song 2 or 3 times. Design flaw.
Wow, great review. I'm sold
The best review I've seen on the Ares II. I've had mine for 6 wweks or so and what I hear is exactly as you described. The mid/treble dryness is a drawback for me on classical piano and violin. Other than that, it's amazing.
And I just saw the link to the "screw" tweak. I will try it.
Thanks!
I hope the tweak helps a bit, I like it more now because of it. Cheers!
Excellent review - your clear description of what you heard is very helpful. A very direct comparison would be with the Schiit Audio Bifrost 2; which costs essentially the same as the Ares II. It is a multibit, build with chips rather than a discrete resistor ladder. The chips are apparently typically used in things like medical devices, and are used in a novel way by Schiit. It has 3 inputs (USB, optical, coax S/PIDF) and an absolute phase inversion toggle - and it has a remote. But no filtering choices, for the user to try out.
Excellent review! Subbed. Cheers from USA!
Great comparison man, well done!
Brilliant review and I love the way you explain the sound characteristics! My only thought is that the LS 50 speakers have raised output between 2kHz and 5kHz and might be exaggerating the treble response...... 👍
Best review I ever heard of my actual DAC,you analize very well this product...however I prefer NOS in the 95% of recording and OS slow in the other,probably depens by the speaker in the setup,I use Os for "clean" and "open" some bad recording👍
Hello - (several questions) I am very close to buying this DAC. Where do you live and how long did it take to receive the DAC? I’m assuming you purchased from them directly.
Did you have a chip based DAC before getting the ARES and was there a discernible difference in sound quality?
Was there anything you did not like and did you use this in a balanced capacity?
Thank you and hopefully you are enjoying this DAC.
Now you MUST compare to Bifrost 2! :)
Great review. I feel like I understand the sound of it even better now (esp since I have Modi Multibit as well).
Maybe I can help you out a little here. I have both Bifrost 1 Multibit and the Bifrost 2 and I'm actually going to sell the B2, because while it is overall superior imo, in terms of bass response, clarity, resolution... it is also somewhat laid back or maybe little brighter sounding, I'm not 100% sure what's the deal with it, but it's just too sharp to my ears when I blast the volume. (using B1/B2 - Feliks Elise/Woo WA2 - HD650, Focal Clear Pro's)
The B1, is warmer and since I like to listen loud, I just can't do the B2.
Really curious about he Ares II tho.
@@FliskerX It can't be laid back and brighter; they are opposites.
@@johnratcliffe6438 warm vs bright are opposites as far as I understand it. Opposite of laid back is forward. www.psaudio.com/askpaul/forward-vs-laid-back-speakers/
Well-detailed review!!
Device looks excellent!!
Wish you a Merry Christmas
Hi. I see very nice improvements in your reviews. Together with the SMSL M400 and now the Denafrips Ares II a nice change of style for reviewing instead of the desk view you used before. Second, also nice that you approach a bit higher tier than entry level gear . Third, not all youtube reviewers are so honest about how they got the review item. Fourth : you mentioned your setup which is essential to judge a DAC : in what chain is it placed (KEf LS50 and Musical fidelity - what model ?). And fifth: as one of the few honest reviewers in Europe I don't see why you shouldn't hit the target of 10 K subscribers soon instead of the usual reviewers from the US :-) So keep up the good work !
Thanks! Regarding the setup, all components are listed in the description below time codes. Cheers!
I live in the Us. And yes I agree with the comment, your a way better than all others I see on TH-cam “Us” it’s just that honesty and authenticity .
Great review. You describe sound so well, as a musician.
Based on your description here, and the fact that this little jewel is universally praised, I ordered mine 3 weeks ago. In spite of Vinshine saying it would ship in 7-10 days plus shipping time, it shipped the next day (Sunday evening!).
FedEx said shipping would be 10 days. It arrived a week early...3 day shipping China to Montana US!!!
I must compliment Alvin at Vinshine: He is most communicate over WhatsApp. Confidence inspiring should there be any issues. I doubt a local dealer would be as helpful or responsive :-)
As for sound quality compared to my older Musical Fidelity $1800 X-DAC X-PSU X-10v3, I hear the DENSITY you describe, more clarity depth of soundstage, things I prize....hall acoustics and imaging in classical recordings are very well conveyed with a full sweet timbre. Love it:-)
I'm auditioning with Kef LS50s and Magnepan LRS to decide which system it will ultimately serve....
THANKs again for a very accurate review 🙂
Great review as always 👏🏼 I would be really interested in hearing your opinion of the MUSICIAN PEGASUS R2R in comparison with this product, as they are often placed head to head in most reviews..
I just ordered my Ares. It should be a big improvement to my Oppo 103 player. Thanks for the review.
Excellent review.
Love your videos!
Would this DAC be a big improvement on the WiiM pro plus DAC?
Retko komentarisem, ali stvarno dobar review!
Thank you for the efforts, it is useful
I was very impressed and enlightened at the same time. I am looking for a DAC at this time in the under 1500 range. There are a lot of choices. I enjoy and listen to exclusively Rock and Roll, 60's 70's etc, stream and CD. I just replaced a Cd player, with a transport Audio lab 6000cdt, what an improvement, hoping to achieve a similar result with another DAC, even though I love my Peachttree PreDac (preamp) brand new. I think your review helped me GREATLY. Thanks so much Robert TN
I have the Ares2 for a few months now and I love it for all the reasons you mentioned. It has more than enough inputs and I can even connect two amplifiers. I have a modern amplifier from Kinki with XLR and a vintage SansuiAU9500 with RCA connectors. The one is very accurate and powerful and the other is powerful and warm. I can have the sound I like at the moment I like it. I just saw your other video on raspberry pi which is exactly the kind of simple explanation I was looking for (I have not had a clear idea how streamers fit in the overall picture before). The raspberry pi is definitely a better solution for me than having the amplifier and DAC next to the the computer and long speakercables to the speakers in the living room. With the raspberry pi I can have all hifi equipment in the living room. I just need an ethernet cable and the raspberry pi, hallelluja! So thank you very much for that video too.
Hi Twilel, Do you use a Pre amp a swell ?
@@ohnonate no, I use the Kinki and Sansui as integrated amps
Denafrips recommended not having both outputs plugged in.... There's no output stage so there is a high impedance, it's a high load on the ladders even if one amplifier is not turned on.
@@peterlarkin762 meanwhile I have only one amplifier attached. But good to know, thanks.
Great review. Thank you!
Seems like the most popular thing to review.
Great, unambiguous review. Very helpful in my quest of looking for a new DAC.
Great review!
Like the comparison to SMSL DAC, had similar experience with SMSL SU-8, it has the "wow" factor, but in similar analogy, it's a pretty girl that might dazzle you at first and seem really amazing, but once you spend some time with her, you notice quickly that it's not one you would want to live with. SU-8 sounded artificial compared to Bifrost Multibit in my experience.
Like the way u explain the sound. Not on this video only but also other. Able to get what u mean even thought I haven’t own it
Great description. Big help to me as I'm deciding if the ares ii price is justified for me. Seriously looking at a modi multibit and heard rumor of new offerings from schiit but haven't confirmed if thats true
Wow, Impressive review.
Hits just the right Timbre;-)
I love your detailed descriptive style. Just listening to you speak makes me feel like listening deeper into the music. Checking out the "Wood" album right now!
Maybe you could try a J-fet or tube preamp for the liquidity you seek?
Poštovanje, imam dva pitanja. Kad bi usporedili SMSL SU 10 i Denafrips Ares II - koji je je Vaš favorit i zašto? Drugo pitanje koje kablove korisite - zanima me da li ima razlike između coax i I2S kablova? Puno hvala, Pavle iz Karlovca.
Pozdrav, meni bi favorit bio SU-10 iz razloga zato što je ima više dinamike, više detalja i čistine generalno. Ares II jedino ima veću zvučnu scenu ali malo zaobli zvuk i proguta najfinije detalje. Koristio sam Ares II preko godinu dana i zamenio sam ga bio sa SMSL M500 MKII svojevremeno. Model SU-10 je još bolji, tako da za mene tu nema dileme.
Apropo I2S i Coax... koji zvuči bolje će zavisiti više od toga kako je ta veza urađena na uređajima koji su spojeni (koji risiveri se koriste i sl.) nego od samih kablova. I2S je na papiru novija i superiornija veza ali na nemalom broju uređaja sam imao slučaj da Coax radi jednako ili bolje. Ne bih se lično uopšte opterećivao oko toga prilikom nabavke uređaja... Pritom I2S ne radi uvek između svaka dva uređaja jer ta vrsta povezivanja nije standardizovana još uvek.
I hope you get a hold of a Pontus one day. Would love to hear you opinion on that unit compared to the Ares.
Me too. 😊 Hoping that'll be my next DAC upgrade.
No budget but still bought it based on your recommendation, mix of excitement and guilt at the same time. Hopefully, it goes well :D
Compliments for the reviews and the channel, I especially like how descriptive your reviews are when it comes to the sound signature of the device. I have a question, hope you can help. I am considering an upgrade, currently, I own a Pioneer N-50A streamer. I am pretty satisfied with it, a really solid DAC inside and it sits nicely in my system. I didn't have a chance to try out newer gen DACs in this class but based on what I see reading and watching reviews, they should bring solid improvements over older-gen DACs, even compared to higher-end devices from past generations. I have a pretty resolving system (Dynaudio focus with Simaudio amplification). Do you think I might obtain reasonably solid improvement with this DAC (or SMSL M400 for that matter) if I make this upgrade? I would appreciate mostly improvements in soundstage depth, low and mid-bass resolution, and naturalness of the instrument tones and overall presentation, ie making it sound less digital. Thanks in advance!
You've not really heard your own music if that Pioneer is what you've had. Get a Limetree Bridge streamer (very, very clean and transparent compared to mass produced Japanese fare) feeding into this Ares 2 DAC. It'll make you rediscover music.
I got carried away so it's a bit longer this time. :) Please use time-codes to skip to parts that interest you.
Not at all, I personally really enjoyed your in-depth review and enthusiasm for the music! I feel like you’ve explained the Ares II very well. I hope you can do one for the Denafrips Pontus in the near future? Cheers.
iiWi, sounds like you need to get a Denfrips Terminator
Didn't feel the need to skip at all, I think you presented at just the right level of detail.
Fantastic review. one of the best reviews AFA describing the sound, your way of putting your thoughts across is 'very relatable'. getting carried away is perfectly alright since you ARE listening in deep into your music and explaining a 'human' experience!
Looking forward a sound comparison between the modi mulitbit and ARES!!
GREAT REVIEW!!! A comparo with the Musician Pegasus would be amazing!!
Great comparative review but ... Inquiring minds want to know ... How does the Delta-Sigma sound aspect of both these DAC's compare to Schiit Modi3 "weighted down"?
What about this one (aresii) vs Gustard r26?
Your input or comment will be really appreciated, thank you for your passion and dedication to music.
Thanks for your generous support!
R26 is a better sounding DAC in my opinion. It has equally big soundstage and natural tone but noticeably more revealing of fine details. Dynamic swings are also better with R26. It's my favorite DAC up to $2000.
have you tried the ARES 12TH edition? I am curious how that one compare to the Qutest
Very well said, I am sold
Very well explained Thanks.
What do you think of Toslink cables?
NOS i use when using HQ player to do over sampling with sinc filters oh is glorious
I have an SMSL sU9 but cant afford a denafrips ares II.. but would I get better sound from a denafrips ares II dac vs fluance turntable with ortofon 2m blue and ifi zen phono? so I can sell Su9 and turntable to reach into this.
I'd love to see a 3 way shootout of this DAC vs Topping D90LE vs Gustard X18, i'm presently looking at all 3 to decide on one
thx for the review of Ares, i need hones opinion and i got it, thx to you I m going to buy ares.......my Audiolab m-DAC is broken!!!
Just got an Ares II. Somehow I prefer the NOS so far. It is like an entirely different type of animal. The OS sounds fantastic there is no doubt, but NOS sounds like the sound is all around me even if I can't pinpoint anything (comparing to OS).
Also tried the loosening the screws. For me it results in a bit more precise sound in NOS. Haven't listened enough to OS to compare. Screws were not really tightened though, maybe just the back one.
Deciding between this DAC and the Doge 7 tube output DAC. Nice review.
Doge 7 looks like a hoot, I would love to get my hands on that one sometimes. Hope you'll like whichever you end up choosing.
On the fence with this DAC as I don’t have the new node, only the 2i, therefore I can not utilize the USB connection, which I think will not allow me to maximize the DAC. Am I way off here?
How much better is Denafripa Area 2 vs your Modi Multibit? Is it worth the upgrade? Should i get Bitfrost 2 ?
You sir, have a gift of painting a picture of what you hear with these devices. I just bought an Ares II and your description of the characteristics is spot-on, as well as your comparison with the Modi Multibit, which I also own. Keep up the good work. How did you find the mid-bass? I have only seen one review which described the mid bass to be recessed, which I also find. Bass extension is fine however.
I also have the Modi MM. Is the Ares an upgrade for you? You like it better?
@@MojoMagic977 Definitely an upgrade in terms of clarity, naturalness and soundstage. I ultimitately sold it though, as I felt it needed more bass. There is still a part of me that misses it, but I have another DAC that provides more bass (albeit less detail). I kept the Multibit too as it's cheap and cheerful - and sounds full.
May want to try the latest FPGA firmware if you are still keeping the DAC.
Balanced amplifiers are unusual? I didn’t even know this. I bought one from lake people many years ago and it is balanced.
I bought the Ares II some days ago but I‘m waiting for the cables to arrive and couldn’t test it in my setting yet. But it sounded great when I tested it, though the guy I bought it from had 1600€ headphones from Hifiman which are a little overkill.
Great review, the Denafrips sits on top of my wish list (of DACs within any reasonable price range) but the Topping D90 MQA may be a slightly more reasonable alternative (already a stretch budget wise really).
Topping is clinical, digital. You might as well get Schiit Modius or even Bifrost.
what's the difference between ares 1 and ares 2, i couldn't find enough information what differs them?
Would you say it's better than naim dac v1 in terms of sound quality?
Baš sam mislio da pitam da li si testirao neki R2R,kad...laki bastrd :-)
Great review! I was wondering i have an Musical fidelity m6i, and want to stream music, what is the better option getting the Ares for example and adding a simple streamer to it? Or do i get something like the Cambridge audio 851n?...
I use a Bluesound Node2i, the internal DAC is pretty good, but with the Denafrips Ares2 it's a better match for the resolution available from the Mu-Fi amp. Pontus probably a better match...
Is it important to spend more money for high end DAC soundstage?
How does this unit compare to the geselli labs j2s with the sparkos? I’m curious. Doubting between the two but can’t find a proper comparison. Hope you can help me! 😁
This one would give you bigger soundstage but softer and less resolving sound. Shallower bassline and less dynamic.
Geshelli is more revealing, faster, cleaner. It sounds three-dimensional too but in a narrower soundstage.
I would personally go for J2S without a doubt. It does too many things better to be ignored.
SMSL vs Ares is like their looks: SMSL more 'glossy'.
I have a d30, how does the smsl m400 compare, would it be worth changing.
I said it once and will say it again. If you like "monitor" realistic music go for monitor speakers. KEFs are everything but accurate/monitory lol ... I mean yeah they look sexieh :-)
What about the phase setting? DId you leave it on or off? According to Alvin in Singapore the ‘on’ setting is with light on ( I think the manual has it wrong)
I left it off which sounded like correct phase to me. When Led is on that is supposed to be inverted phase.
@@iiWiReviews this is where I think the Manual is wrong (or at least my version of manual). I asked ALvin at Vinshine Audio about it. I am quoting his reply: ALVIN- "1. I just realized the mistake in the manual. LED on means it's in a positive phase.
2. Phase LED is ON means 0 degree. "
@@iiWiReviews did you hear much difference between the phase settings? Hardly any reviews mention it. And it's not helped by the manual being wrong I believe. thank you for very detailed insightful review. The image of a beautiful clear light on the music you use rings true. I cherish my Ares 2. In my all tube set up, the dryness you mention is not so apparent.
Isn't it a problem with the Denafrips to expose the low-fidelity of low-fidelity recordings (early Neil Young for example) whereas the SMSL is more forgiving to this kind of music? I guess which DAC you prefer depends much on the type of music you mostly listen to.
Yes, SMSL would be more forgiving for any type of harsh/thin/edgy recording. But Ares is not any worse than your average non-warming DAC. It's a bit brighter up top but not edgy and thin sounding by any means. It also has very hefty bassline which is always good for such recordings.
It sounds like a transformer noise in the Ares II if I put my ear close to the box. Does anyone experience that on yours?
Mine is dead silent.
Where are these made please?
They make xlr to rca cables, try them - xlrr on one side of the cable and rca on the other side of the cable.