Hello I have the both the 2017 DAC19 and the Denafrips Ares ( original version ) , I really love my Audio gd PCM1704 dacs as they have a very special musical and realistic sound . However the newer dac 19s tend to be a bit on the bright side , and compared to the older DAC19 Mk3 are not as...

Hi The Reference 7 started to sound really nice ( more accurate and clear and very musical ) when it was wormed up . So I reconnected the Denafrips to see how it would now compare , but as nice as the Reference 7 was sounding the Denafrips was crisper and clearer . As you say it was just more...

I have the Reference 7 , the R1 and the Denafrips Ares . I wanted to do a head to head comparison before answering you . I have been mostly listening to the R1 in recent weeks as the latest firmware updates have really transformed it . Well I also have the Reference 7 on my desk although it...

Hello Can you tell me which one of the cables was wired the wrong way around . Mine sounds great but it has developed a beeping sound when going from one song to the next and it's a bit confusing to get the settings right . .

Well I just spent some time trying the different firmwares in the R1 dac , I was interested in trying the latest firmware ie. the ( R1tda-Syn ) . After installing it the dac seemed to be slightly more detailed and sounded OK but something was just not right , I using the OS setting , somehow it...

Hi I also purchased an early production R2R1 dac and was surprised by the upgrade to R1 , making my dac outdated overnight . But Mr Kingwa told me that I could upgrade my R2R1 to R1 by changing the display board and firmware . So recently I ordered the upgraded display board from Mr Kingwa which...

Hello I have the R2R1 ( Balanced version of R2R2 ) and the DAC19 . The Reference 5 is more or less a balanced DAC19 with better power supplies and four PCM1704s instead of two , so it should sound even better than the DAC19 . The DAC19 and Ref 5 has the legendary PCM1704 dac chips which gives...

I have the 2017 DAC 19 and I originally found it way too edgy and not very pleasant to listen to , I was very disappointed . I was told that it came with the V7 Firmware , I tried many settings but I was still not satisfied with the sound . Then a few months ago I got the V5 and V7 firmware...

I just went back and reconnected the DAC19 just in case I was forgetting something . It definitely kills the NFB11.38 . The music is strong , powerful , alive and real . The 11.38 sounds like the little brother of the DAC19 the much younger little brother . It's not just better it's way better...

I forgot to mention that the NFB 11.38 with the ES9038pro wins on detailed presentation , it could be said to be " analytical " but sometimes being too detailed can make the music sound a bit unnatural a little too precise . I think that music should have a certain beauty about it that touches...

I just wanted to try a dac with the new ES9038 Pro chip without having to spend too much , as I am sold on R2R dacs so this was just an experiment . I contacted Mr Kingwa before ordering it , and I asked him ' what would be the difference between this NFB 11.38pro and the more expensive D-77...

Well I promised to do a comparison of the DAC19 (2017 ) and the R2R1 , I did it a few weeks ago but I have been really busy so here it is . I begin with my conclusion , although both dacs are very good they actually have completely different sounds . The R2R1 is very detailed and extremely CLEAR...

The DAC19 used the Xmos 208 from Oct 2016 with the Amanero as an option . The older ones used the USB32 but I am not sure of the change over point . I also had an Audio gd NFB-3 Sabre dac and the DAC19 is an improvement in richness and musicality , it's really a better sounding dac . I don't...

I was told that there were only two firmwares available for the DAC19 the V5 and the V7 . I may be a little off here but if the DAC was bought after 12th Oct 2016 it should have the V7 firmware , before that date it should have the V5 fitted . However the Firmware files are available from Audio...

Hello again The DAC19 is a good choice . This is as much as I know . The DAC19 was introduced in 2005 , the SE version came in 2006 and the Mk3 ran from 2008 to 2010 . The Mk3 is an upgraded model of the DAC19 SE , it was offered with a choice of digital filters the DF1704 and the famous PMD100...

Hello The R2R dacs do not have that digital glare ( edginess ) so they are a lot easier to listen to . I mostly listen to CDs and the PCM1704 dacs are the nicest sounding and most musical that I have heard . The DAC19 Mk3 is a classic having a really sweet sound and is extremely musical but is...

Hello You seemed to have put the jumpers to the 2X Oversampling setting . This will make the sound much closer to NOS ( not bright ) . With no jumpers fitted the setting is 8X oversampling and is much more lively . 4X is a happy medium but it's really just which sounds better to you . I found 2X...

Hi I got a USB Blaster from Amazon " RioRand USB Blaster " for $9.99 and it has worked perfectly . Link to page : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRODADK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hello I'll compare the DAC19 to the R2R1 tomorrow , to be honest I have not listened to the R2R1 since doing this upgrade to the DAC19 but I'll put them both on my main system tomorrow and let you know the result . To do the Firmware update you have to buy what is called a USB Blaster this links...

Hello again I thought I would share this with you . I contacted Mr Kingwa and he told me that the DAC19 only had two firmware programs the V5 and the V7 . So he sent me both files and I installed the V5 . The dac sounded really nice and very decent but as usual I wandered just how different it...

Hi I don't know about PCM and DSD but I have both the Denafrips Ares and the R2R1 , Just as I got the Ares Mr Kingwa introduced the R2R1 and I had to get one . Out of the box the Denafrips killed the R2R1 so I was a bit disappointed . But after the recent Firmware update the R2R1 is now it's...

Just to mention the R2R1 and R2R7 has the same Firmware update file , made available in July-August . Quite possibly the new R-8 probably uses this same new firmware .

Hi My PC has Windows 7 , I had a hard time finding the driver for the Blaster but this Instruction Video on Youtube solved it . " Installing Altera USB Blaster Driver " - - I used the version 12.1 Althera software and as mentioned the little lug on the usb Blaster's cable must be facing...