[Ufanco]

I feel the DENAFRIPS Ares 2 (ENYO) is and excellent Dac and if you want better can move up to DENAFRIPS even better quality line of DAC.

There's a ton of reviews on the Ares 2 and it doesn't cost a fortune. It hold its value well on resale and allows 1st owner to transfer remaining of warranty.

 

[walker.777]

Don't feel bad. I'd never heard of it either before I got to demo it in my home and compare it to the Lampi.

Really spectacular dac.

Can you do please a video review of Merason and compare it with Lampi

 

[Monsterzero]

Can you do please a video review of Merason and compare it with Lampi

Yeah, I plan on doing that at some point, but I have a few other reviews to get out prior.

However, it mainly boils down to personal preferences and system sysnergy. The Merason is highly detailed, with a whole heck of a lot more transparency than the Lampi. My headphone collection mostly consists of warm headphones, so that extra upper frequency response is a welcome addition to my chain, but I could see where if you're rocking a Beyer or the HD800, or perhaps an ultra revealing HP amp, it might prove to be too much of a good thing.

The Merason will also expose weak links in your chain, moreso than on the Lampi. Cable swaps of any kind...headphone, USB, RCA or XLR, even ethernet cables and modems and switches will have more of an impact vs. what can be heard via the Lampi.

 

[walker.777]

Yeah, I plan on doing that at some point, but I have a few other reviews to get out prior.

However, it mainly boils down to personal preferences and system sysnergy. The Merason is highly detailed, with a whole heck of a lot more transparency than the Lampi. My headphone collection mostly consists of warm headphones, so that extra upper frequency response is a welcome addition to my chain, but I could see where if you're rocking a Beyer or the HD800, or perhaps an ultra revealing HP amp, it might prove to be too much of a good thing.

The Merason will also expose weak links in your chain, moreso than on the Lampi. Cable swaps of any kind...headphone, USB, RCA or XLR, even ethernet cables and modems and switches will have more of an impact vs. what can be heard via the Lampi.

thank you for valuable info! does lack of dsd support bother you much or you can live without it?

 

[Monsterzero]

thank you for valuable info! does lack of dsd support bother you much or you can live without it?

Not really. Most of the music I listen to doesn't have a dsd version.

I have 2 total dsd albums, one by Pink Floyd and one by Miles Davis. I set Roon to downsample dsd files and it plays back on the Merason no issues.

If on the other hand, if you have a lot of dsd albums then you may want to consider a different dac

 

[lockjaw]

This topic has cost me a ton of money over the years.

When the upgrade bug sets in I always seem to change out my DAC thinking there will be some magical moment. This opinion is worsened by the many reviewers who proclaim one DAC is so much better than the next. Steve Huff on youtube is one of my favorites. Great videos and he's so passionate.... The Wiess DAC is so warm, the Dave is holographic, omg... the May and Terminator... on it goes. I believe he hears what he hears. Tell me though, is there not an expectation when you plug in that new expensive DAC?

I've owned almost off of them.... most recently the DAVE. When compared to my Benchmark DAC3, the differences are so amazingly slight I'm left disappointed. There is a difference, but you almost need instantaneous ABing to tell and even then I'm trying to convince myself it's really there. I'm 53.. yeah, I get it, my hearing isn't as good as a 20 year old. Having said that, I've been really protective of my hearing over the years and have been a critical listener.

To get another point on the curve I had one of my relatives help out, she is a professional singer and voice coach. We used some REALLY good stuff. Susvara with AHB2 amp, streaming Qobuz hi-res. She couldn't tell the difference between DACs!!! I felt some reassurance.

Best to get a good DAC and keep it. Even my Topping DAC is almost identical to the Benchmark. I've sold all those expensive DACs and put the money toward the amp and transducers.

Hope this wasn't useless. For those getting ready to send hate my way, all I can say is these are my impressions only, by no means universal.

Steve

 

[helloh3adfi]

The best DAC is an Apple dongle. Fite me!