[smodtactical]

They should add support for plexamp.

 

[wirewiggler]

I see the new firmware patch addresses the stuttering issue by muting the unit instead of resolving the problem of why it is stuttering, I see this as a interim fix and maybe they are holding out to become Roon ready and are using Roon‘ SDK and hoping it does not stutter. Asking a manufacturer to support a format to support 1% of their user base is not a good investment on their part.

 

[winnor]

I see the new firmware patch addresses the stuttering issue by muting the unit instead of resolving the problem of why it is stuttering, I see this as a interim fix and maybe they are holding out to become Roon ready and are using Roon‘ SDK and hoping it does not stutter. Asking a manufacturer to support a format to support 1% of their user base is not a good investment on their part.

Hi，Can you tell me the firmware version after the upgrade?
I play through the ROON RADIO for 6~8 hours a day continuously as a work companion, probably ignoring the mute in between.

 

[wirewiggler]

Firmware is on Denafrips web site located in the Arse product directory. I upgraded firmware no drama, I did hear it hesitate at one point of playback just a little hiccup and kept playing so it is an improvement. It really did not stutter that often so it was not that annoying, but this is better. One thing to be careful with is the little nylon pucks on the bottom of the feet pop out when you drag them across the milled lettering on the top of the dac be sure to catch them and put them back in or you will be scratching the top of your dac ( mine is Pontus 12 and has lettering milled into the top).
PS when you do the firmware update you will need to go into Roon setup, audio and enable and rename the streamer for it to appear again in Roon.
Bill

 

[pearccm]

Received Arce this week but unfortunately I haven’t had a lot of time for critical listening. But what I have heard is very clean, very detailed, and smooth. Hooked up via i2s (audioquest carbon) to Pontus II. Anyone have any recommendations on pinout for Pontus? Started with 000 and switched to 100 which seemed to have better dynamics. Currently giving 010 a shot. The last 4 pinout settings are a distorted mess so at least I’ve narrowed it down to 4 options!

 

[winnor]

Arce as Roon Bridge via Usb to Ayre Qb9 Twenty finally sound good, currently supports up to 24-192 。。。。。。。 Waiting for the continued evolution to DSD support.
Back to I2S to the Pontus 12-1 for a more consistent and smooth sound.

 

[naka9]

... last year (2022) I bought a second hand Auralic Aries streamer (the 2015 version).
Since last year it got firmware updates - still, althought Auralic announced "no more updates". I guess they found a way to still maintain this device.

Even if I shouldn't get any more firmware updates, the device streams everything, is a roon endpoint (which I don't you), can do Airplay (which I use from time to time), accesses my NAS for local files, and so on.

I don't see a reason why the new Denafrips streamer should turn into a paper weight anytime soon.

=== edit, shortly after initial reply ===
Surprise, surprise - my Auralic vintage streamer just got an update to the very latest version 9.2 . B-i

Hi, do you still use the Auralic Aries?
I have the Femto version since 2015 and I love it, but I wonder if more modern streamers even offer more in sound quality.
Did you ever compare it with something like the Eversolo?
Thanks

 

[medon]

Hi, do you still use the Auralic Aries?
I have the Femto version since 2015 and I love it, but I wonder if more modern streamers even offer more in sound quality.
Did you ever compare it with something like the Eversolo?
Thanks

Yes, I still do use the Auralic Aries femto.
Before I bought it 2nd hand last year I borrowed the Auralic Aries MINI, the G1 and G1.1 .

The MINI (with LPS) was slightly worse (Aries--USB-->DAC) compared to the G1 and G1.1 .
Between G1 and G1.1 I couldn't really tell a difference.
That's why I concluded: The Aries femto might be good enough.

In the meantime I upgraded from Ares II to Venus II. And I also got me the Gaia, which made a significant improvement - yet again.

TL;DR:
If you look for better SQ with your existing and / or future DAC and you could live with one box more in the stack, I honestly would recommend getting a DDC instead of a new streamer. Hermes probably would do... I went Gaia only b/c I wouldn't take no chances.

IF you get a DDC make sure the I2S / HDMI cable is a good one. There are silver strand HDMI cables on AliExpress that sound better than $$$ Audioquest HDMI cables. Best of all: Instead of $$$ these only cost $$.

Cheers!

P.S.: And no, I did not try others streamers since. Happy now.

 

[naka9]

Yes, I still do use the Auralic Aries femto.
Before I bought it 2nd hand last year I borrowed the Auralic Aries MINI, the G1 and G1.1 .

The MINI (with LPS) was slightly worse (Aries--USB-->DAC) compared to the G1 and G1.1 .
Between G1 and G1.1 I couldn't really tell a difference.
That's why I concluded: The Aries femto might be good enough.

In the meantime I upgraded from Ares II to Venus II. And I also got me the Gaia, which made a significant improvement - yet again.

TL;DR:
If you look for better SQ with your existing and / or future DAC and you could live with one box more in the stack, I honestly would recommend getting a DDC instead of a new streamer. Hermes probably would do... I went Gaia only b/c I wouldn't take no chances.

IF you get a DDC make sure the I2S / HDMI cable is a good one. There are silver strand HDMI cables on AliExpress that sound better than $$$ Audioquest HDMI cables. Best of all: Instead of $$$ these only cost $$.

Cheers!

P.S.: And no, I did not try others streamers since. Happy now.

Thanks for the detailed answer. That makes a lot of sense.
Can I ask what kind of improvement was presented by the Gaia, used between the Aries and the Venus II?
I thought about the Hermes before but… I am afraid of the possibility of having just tiny improvements…
Thanks for your help

 

[medon]

Can I ask what kind of improvement was presented by the Gaia, used between the Aries and the Venus II?

I'd say the sound is now more coherent, more precise.
Things that Gaia made better are imaging, and the precision of percussion. Treble is smoother without being rolled-off - sharp edges are reduced. Bass is better defined. Also fascinating for me is to almost "feel" (not only hear) how strings are plucked, e.g. electronic bass guitar. Big fun.
Sometimes I'm somewhere else (kitchen, bathroom) while music is playing and I think "dang, THAT sounds real!". Funny side note.
I also tend to listen at louder volume levels now, simply because the sound has so little "stress elements" to it any more that the only reason to limit volume is respect for my neighbours.

From what I experienced before with different kinds of streamers as SPDIF or USB input: The better the streamer's signal, the better the DAC's output.
As simple as that. The problem is: Unless you heard something "better" in your system, it is really hard to imagine what should be better... and when you heard it, you don't want to go back.

Simply putting another expensive box into the chain is probably not enough... I upgraded everything in my chain now since I started into higher-end audio 2022, by getting the Aries II.
Most important steps were "audio hygiene" measures, like described by Hans B. (see link below).
Clean AC power (where needed), good cables, maybe speaker cable risers, signal grounding... and maybe a DDC. Ah, and think about decouplers for speakers, like e.g. IsoAcoustics make.

The pity is there is no single contributor in the chain that's made superfluous by others (say you'd want to skip signal grounding by adding a DDC) -- that doesn't work in my experience. Everything potentially adds up.

The only thing I didn't want to touch - yet - is the network input. I simply let the Auralic stream via WiFi from my internet provider's supplied FritzBox (router).
One could spend thousands in audiophile ethernet switches, cables... but I am reluctant to do so and pretend to myself it could not possibly have any positive influence in my chain.

 

[naka9]

I'd say the sound is now more coherent, more precise.
Things that Gaia made better are imaging, and the precision of percussion. Treble is smoother without being rolled-off - sharp edges are reduced. Bass is better defined. Also fascinating for me is to almost "feel" (not only hear) how strings are plucked, e.g. electronic bass guitar. Big fun.
Sometimes I'm somewhere else (kitchen, bathroom) while music is playing and I think "dang, THAT sounds real!". Funny side note.
I also tend to listen at louder volume levels now, simply because the sound has so little "stress elements" to it any more that the only reason to limit volume is respect for my neighbours.

From what I experienced before with different kinds of streamers as SPDIF or USB input: The better the streamer's signal, the better the DAC's output.
As simple as that. The problem is: Unless you heard something "better" in your system, it is really hard to imagine what should be better... and when you heard it, you don't want to go back.

Simply putting another expensive box into the chain is probably not enough... I upgraded everything in my chain now since I started into higher-end audio 2022, by getting the Aries II.
Most important steps were "audio hygiene" measures, like described by Hans B. (see link below).
Clean AC power (where needed), good cables, maybe speaker cable risers, signal grounding... and maybe a DDC. Ah, and think about decouplers for speakers, like e.g. IsoAcoustics make.

The pity is there is no single contributor in the chain that's made superfluous by others (say you'd want to skip signal grounding by adding a DDC) -- that doesn't work in my experience. Everything potentially adds up.

The only thing I didn't want to touch - yet - is the network input. I simply let the Auralic stream via WiFi from my internet provider's supplied FritzBox (router).
One could spend thousands in audiophile ethernet switches, cables... but I am reluctant to do so and pretend to myself it could not possibly have any positive influence in my chain.

Many thanks, that helps a lot
I too, use wifi from my internet’s provider router to the Auralic and sounds very good.
So, let the search for a DDC begin…

 

[medon]

Many thanks, that helps a lot
I too, use wifi from my internet’s provider router to the Auralic and sounds very good.
So, let the search for a DDC begin…

I read you have a Pontus DAC at the moment.
Therefore I strongly recommend a Denafrips DDC - my guesstimation is that while the job description of a DDC is pretty straight forward the effectiveness of adding one (a DDC) strongly depends on synergy between DDC and DAC. Taking stuff from the same developer / manufacturer should increase synergy. Probably.

 

[wirewiggler]

Since the Arse outputted I2s to my Pontus 12th I repurposed my Iris to my Schiit Bitfrost 2/64, it does not have a I2s so I used the AES input boy was I surprised the improvement to the Bitfrost over the USB input.
Bill

 

[winnor]

Just replaced the $2 Ugreen cable with a $9.99 Kabeldirekt hdmi cable that connects to the TV at home, and the sound from the Arce i2s to Pontus is significantly improved. The Blue Jeans EF hdmi I ordered is still in transit, so hopefully it will sound better when it arrives.

 

[kopczas]

. The Blue Jeans EF hdmi

This is good choice. I`ve replaced Kabeldirekt with BJC and it is slightly better. Kabeldirekt is really decent cable for it`s price.