Author Topic: Denafrips DACs  (Read 5508 times)

Offline mresseguie

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Denafrips DACs
« on: June 15, 2017, 07:18:07 AM »
Have any of you run across threads discussing Denafrips DACs? There are 4 models - Ares, Pontus, Venus, and Terminator. I think the Ares is $600(?); Terminator is $4000. [The price of the Terminator just increased a couple hundred clams if I remember correctly.]

The factory is in China, and there's a dealer in Singapore who distributes them. I've contacted the dealer, Alvin, about the DACs.  Just as with the Exogal Comet, which I have not yet auditioned, I'm curious how good the Pontus and Venus are.

https://www.vinshineaudio.com
Michael
« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 07:22:39 AM by mresseguie »
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Offline mresseguie

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2017, 11:28:49 AM »
Update:

After a few emails with Alvin, I have decided to audition the Denafrips Venus DAC. It's an R2R NOS/OS switchable DAC. I will take it to an upcoming audiophile G2G in the Seattle area in July.  I believe there will be a Lampi Atlantic DAC, an older Metrum DAC, and one other at the G2G.

It ought to prove to be an interesting and educational event. I'll be sure to post impressions after the G2G.

Michael
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline rollo

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2017, 11:25:26 AM »
Just make sure you break it in properly before comparing. Have fun

charles
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Offline Nick B

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2017, 11:35:45 AM »
Update:

After a few emails with Alvin, I have decided to audition the Denafrips Venus DAC. It's an R2R NOS/OS switchable DAC. I will take it to an upcoming audiophile G2G in the Seattle area in July.  I believe there will be a Lampi Atlantic DAC, an older Metrum DAC, and one other at the G2G.

It ought to prove to be an interesting and educational event. I'll be sure to post impressions after the G2G.

Michael

Michael,
Will be looking forward to your comments. Seattle, especially in early fall, is beautiful. Have only been there twice, though. Have fun!
Nick
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Offline mresseguie

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2017, 11:56:33 PM »
Just make sure you break it in properly before comparing. Have fun

charles

Rollo,

No worries there. Alvin has burned it in already. He wants it to shine at the G2G. He knows there will be a few heavy hitting DACs there.

Update:

After a few emails with Alvin, I have decided to audition the Denafrips Venus DAC. It's an R2R NOS/OS switchable DAC. I will take it to an upcoming audiophile G2G in the Seattle area in July.  I believe there will be a Lampi Atlantic DAC, an older Metrum DAC, and one other at the G2G.

It ought to prove to be an interesting and educational event. I'll be sure to post impressions after the G2G.

Michael

Michael,
Will be looking forward to your comments. Seattle, especially in early fall, is beautiful. Have only been there twice, though. Have fun!
Nick

Nick,

My wife and I stayed in Vancouver, BC for 8 days and only returned last night. Driving back through Seattle along the I-5 corridor was HELL. If I were a city/state planner, I'd suffer nightmares worrying about how to fix the infrastructure issues.

I will happily report back here my findings. Here's a list of the gear that will be there.

mresseguie - Daedalus Apollos & DENAFRIPS Venus DAC
Aldcoll - Modwright KWA 150 SE
JakeJ - Musical Paradise MP-D2 DAC NOS 5AR4 and JJ gold pin 6922 signal tubes, & Audio Experience A2 preamp
rajacat - Musical Paradise MP-D2 DAC NOS USAF 596 rectifier and ? signal tubes
Sonny - Schiit Jotunheim DAC
mca - Lampizator Atlantic or Vinnie Rossi LIO
alexcotti - Metrum Acoustics Pavane DAC

It's going to be FUN!! :thumb:
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
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Offline Emil

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2017, 03:43:22 AM »
Vinshineaudio has a very interesting lineup of dacs at sane prices.

https://www.vinshineaudio.com/products

Build quality looks impressive

 


 Enjoy the Venus, Michael

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I got to say it was a good day"
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Offline mresseguie

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2017, 11:55:38 AM »
Thanks, Emil.

I figured the Ares was close enough in SQ to my Gustard DAC that it wasn't worth the effort. I originally thought to try the Pontus, but decided that if I was going to the trouble of auditioning one of Alvin's DACs, I may as well go for a bigger fish like the Venus. That begs the question "Why not try the Terminator then?"....I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of spending so much on a DAC especially since the technology keeps evolving so quickly....but I may still get to that point some day.
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline Emil

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2017, 04:11:05 AM »
Looking forward in hearing how it compare to the Lampi Atlantic.
"Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day"
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Offline mresseguie

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2017, 11:56:09 AM »
MCA on AC has a very much upgraded Lampi Atlantic. I don't know all of the details, but it has the preamp function. His Lampi cost him ~$6500. It flat out trounced all the other DACs at the G2G on Saturday. All of us kind of stopped in our tracks when we heard it play. Damn! Nice! Sounding!

The Ares had about 160 hours burn in at the G2G. Everyone agreed that it hadn't yet opened up/bloomed. It would have been nice if it had arrived a week earlier to allow more burn in time. I'm still burning it in - currently at about 190 hours now. Acoustic instruments have been developing this depth that wasn't there before. I played a track that I hadn't listened to in a while and I was very impressed with the drums. The track is "The Sands of Molopo" on the African Rhythms CD. I didn't remember the drums sounding like that on my old DAC MagicPlus or even my Gustard X20u. Guitar, Cello, horns, and voices are much more distinct now. Bass (both acoustic and electric) have taken on extra punch (?) and clarity. All this quality sound on my very modest Nuprime IDA-8 using the Venus as DAC. I'm using a $10 power cord and el cheapo RCA ICs to the Nuprime. My speakers are Jeff Bagby's Adelphos. It's all very sweet sounding.

On Sunday, I told Alvin of Vinshine Audio that I expected I would ship the Venus back to him. However, as burn in approaches 200 hours, I'm seriously considering keeping it. I still have a few more days to decide. I wish I could get my wife to leave the house for a while so I can open up the volume a bit.


« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 11:58:37 AM by mresseguie »
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline mresseguie

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2017, 06:12:27 PM »
Typo alert!

I typed 'Ares' above. It ought to be 'Venus' DAC.

Michael
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline tmazz

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Re: Denafrips DACs
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2017, 06:17:39 PM »
....... I wish I could get my wife to leave the house for a while so I can open up the volume a bit.

Been there. :roll:
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