[AlanU]

Thanks. Finally something about Ares II in this thread, not just read about DDC...

regards,
Simon

Simon,

I was fortunate enough to have a friend steer me the right way in serious sonic improvements.

Let's just say you purchased a re-clocking DDC. This external device can be a stop gap as you move up the chain in denafrips or any other brand DAC.

What you really need to do is explore and listen with your personal ears. My hunch is majority of the people out there will careless about 32 bit or MQA nonsense after serious source treatment.

If you think your ARES 2 sounds good. You have NO IDEA what you are missing if you feed it a reclocked signal. I always assumed that my setup was fantastic. Now that I've purchased 1 re-clocking DDC, I'm now considering purchasing an external word Master clock. Howerver i must first pruchase my second DDC unit to daisy chain. Mind you the Mutec costs more than the Denafrips ares alone. However if you approach music and be serious about the importance of SOURCE, any dac you purchase will have the higher level data stream. Higher quality signal with precision timing will be the input to the dac. This is where the translation becomes much easier for the dac to translate the original intended recordings from the artist!!! Jitter effects the timing and the D to A conversion uses the time sequence during conversion. Skewed square wave will be translated as Skewed sine wave. This is why reclocked precision feed will have darker backgrounds, more layers, texture, detail, analog ease, instrument separation and digital glare disappears. If a VENUS ii does a good job in input treatment, a re-clocked well spec'd DDC will improve it further. Not fiction......... fact!

Please note, to a degree your DAC is not truly the source. The music "SOURCE" stems from the internet going into your house and the media server/streamer that feeds "DIGITAL" information to your DIGITAL TO ANALOG converter.

IF you have considered an audiograde ethernet switch and re-clocking DDC you are serious about analog ease and true audio performance. Simply purchasing a DAC is IMO wishful thinking as Garbage in = Garbage out. Purchasing an ARES and fed with a re-clocking DDC will sound better than a stand alone Jitter infested digital signal to a higher line PONTUS. Please do not take my words as fact. I've done plenty of tests and found that jitter = digital glare. Remove jitter and you will have a cheap and cheerful dac turn into a more serious stellar performer.

Amongst my friends I've suggested looking into a DDC before buying a new DAC. All of them are floored with their EXISTING dac and NO change to their audio components. I made them aware to be more serious about source. Source is EVERYTHING! If you achieve "endgame" source quality, concentrate on upgraditis first world problems of buying "better" upgrades DOWNSTREAM.

Visualize a herd of elk foraging and dwelling 1/4 mile in a creek/stream. You are downstream from the elk. Will you drink the water or treat it before you do so? LOL!! The water is your source to replenish hydration.......

Using a boutique $$$$ passive usb cable does not resolve contamination where it happens up stream. An active device intended to preserve the 1's and 0's with precise timing as intended by the artist is the goal.

If you cannot see my point, DDC is a waste of time

 

[simon740]

Simon,

I was fortunate enough to have a friend steer me the right way in serious sonic improvements.

Let's just say you purchased a re-clocking DDC. This external device can be a stop gap as you move up the chain in denafrips or any other brand DAC.

What you really need to do is explore and listen with your personal ears. My hunch is majority of the people out there will careless about 32 bit or MQA nonsense after serious source treatment.

If you think your ARES 2 sounds good. You have NO IDEA what you are missing if you feed it a reclocked signal. I always assumed that my setup was fantastic. Now that I've purchased 1 re-clocking DDC, I'm now considering purchasing an external word Master clock. Howerver i must first pruchase my second DDC unit to daisy chain. Mind you the Mutec costs more than the Denafrips ares alone. However if you approach music and be serious about the importance of SOURCE, any dac you purchase will have the higher level data stream. Higher quality signal with precision timing will be the input to the dac. This is where the translation becomes much easier for the dac to translate the original intended recordings from the artist!!! Jitter effects the timing and the D to A conversion uses the time sequence during conversion. Skewed square wave will be translated as Skewed sine wave. This is why reclocked precision feed will have darker backgrounds, more layers, texture, detail, analog ease, instrument separation and digital glare disappears. If a VENUS ii does a good job in input treatment, a re-clocked well spec'd DDC will improve it further. Not fiction......... fact!

Please note, to a degree your DAC is not truly the source. The music "SOURCE" stems from the internet going into your house and the media server/streamer that feeds "DIGITAL" information to your DIGITAL TO ANALOG converter.

IF you have considered an audiograde ethernet switch and re-clocking DDC you are serious about analog ease and true audio performance. Simply purchasing a DAC is IMO wishful thinking as Garbage in = Garbage out. Purchasing an ARES and fed with a re-clocking DDC will sound better than a stand alone Jitter infested digital signal to a higher line PONTUS. Please do not take my words as fact. I've done plenty of tests and found that jitter = digital glare. Remove jitter and you will have a cheap and cheerful dac turn into a more serious stellar performer.

Amongst my friends I've suggested looking into a DDC before buying a new DAC. All of them are floored with their EXISTING dac and NO change to their audio components. I made them aware to be more serious about source. Source is EVERYTHING! If you achieve "endgame" source quality, concentrate on upgraditis first world problems of buying "better" upgrades DOWNSTREAM.

Visualize a herd of elk foraging and dwelling 1/4 mile in a creek/stream. You are downstream from the elk. Will you drink the water or treat it before you do so? LOL!! The water is your source to replenish hydration.......

Using a boutique $$$$ passive usb cable does not resolve contamination where it happens up stream. An active device intended to preserve the 1's and 0's with precise timing as intended by the artist is the goal.

If you cannot see my point, DDC is a waste of time

I see your point. Thank you for this infos. But somehow it makes sense that if I buy an Ares II, I won’t buy a DDC for € 1,000 or more. Especially if I don’t use a PC for transport. I have a diy linux player (mpd client).

regards,
Simon

 

[AlanU]

I see your point. Thank you for this infos. But somehow it makes sense that if I buy an Ares II, I won’t buy a DDC for € 1,000 or more. Especially if I don’t use a PC for transport. I have a diy linux player (mpd client).

regards,
Simon

coax out? or usb?

This is where DDC product offerings can have USB or COAX in. I do NOT sell products. I just observe the lack of awareness in these re-clocking devices. I had a hard time picking up my jaw off the ground when I introduced it to my 2 channel system. My Mutec MC-3+ can take CD or other Coax input and re transform the entire signal with galvanic isolation (emi removal concept) and create a signal for specific audiofile purposes. Instant venue of analog ease and detail I've never heard from my current system.

Just be known your Ares II is not fully optimized to it's max potential. This is where a manufacturing company must create an upgrade path for other budget/customer targets. When someone mentions how great their DAC sounds. My only curiosity is the streamer/server or quality of signal they are feeding the dac.

I can use my ancient Intel i5 HP work laptop jitter contaminated USB port > Mutec > DAC and it will sound just as good as most 2000-4000++++++++ dollars dedicated audiofile grade music streamer/server. Sounds rather bold correct????????

MANY years ago, If you analyze the purpose of music streamers/servers was to eliminate the connection of using consumer grade, jitter contaminated signal from your average laptop/desktop. Understand your signal is generated from a DDC that re-transforms digital music data from a "computer". IMO a music streamer/server is the "keep up with the jonses" for features and remote control. With ROON or Audirvana and other products you can do this with a computer. The actual output device will be the DDC NOT a computer streamer/server !!!!! Most people own or have access to a good old capable laptop/Mac mini. Many can save up for a nice reclocking DDC. Not every audio geek is willing to spend 4+++++ grand on an "all in one" music streamer with reclocking input section $$$$. This is where mere mortal souls that are willing to save can purchase insanely capable re-clocking DDC to match counterparts with $$$$$$$ thick wallets paying 3-5K on music streamer/dac setups. The difference is you are NOT limited in the change of DACS as you have an "external" DDC to add on to anything!!

If you think Ares II needs tranparency, it's there but you do not have the means to tap into the airy sound stage and instrument isolation. This is where the jitter confusion effects the digital garbage signal and tries to make sense of it for a audiofile grade sonically pleasing sign wave. Do your research and read up on the "emphasis" of how higher grade dacs have advertisement of how "fantastic" their crystal/clocks are for input jitter removal................ There is an agenda in how DACS are created and lined up.

Depending on where you live, you can also "trial" source products like Silent Angel N8 switch with F1 linear power supply/N16 all in one or Uptone EtherRegen in cleansing ethernet source and reclocking for precision and reduction of EMI. I used my ears and did not rely on AudioScienceReviews technical graphs. If you are adventurous you can test yourself. However, when it comes to a dedicated product I have concerns of suggesting Mutec reclocking DDC. Others can chime in other products that have real world experience.

 

[simon740]

coax out? or usb?

This is where DDC product offerings can have USB or COAX in. I do NOT sell products. I just observe the lack of awareness in these re-clocking devices. I had a hard time picking up my jaw off the ground when I introduced it to my 2 channel system. My Mutec MC-3+ can take CD or other Coax input and re transform the entire signal with galvanic isolation (emi removal concept) and create a signal for specific audiofile purposes. Instant venue of analog ease and detail I've never heard from my current system.

Just be known your Ares II is not fully optimized to it's max potential. This is where a manufacturing company must create an upgrade path for other budget/customer targets. When someone mentions how great their DAC sounds. My only curiosity is the streamer/server or quality of signal they are feeding the dac.

I can use my ancient Intel i5 HP work laptop jitter contaminated USB port > Mutec > DAC and it will sound just as good as most 2000-4000++++++++ dollars dedicated audiofile grade music streamer/server. Sounds rather bold correct????????

MANY years ago, If you analyze the purpose of music streamers/servers was to eliminate the connection of using consumer grade, jitter contaminated signal from your average laptop/desktop. Understand your signal is generated from a DDC that re-transforms digital music data from a "computer". IMO a music streamer/server is the "keep up with the jonses" for features and remote control. With ROON or Audirvana and other products you can do this with a computer. The actual output device will be the DDC NOT a computer streamer/server !!!!! Most people own or have access to a good old capable laptop/Mac mini. Many can save up for a nice reclocking DDC. Not every audio geek is willing to spend 4+++++ grand on an "all in one" music streamer with reclocking input section $$$$. This is where mere mortal souls that are willing to save can purchase insanely capable re-clocking DDC to match counterparts with $$$$$$$ thick wallets paying 3-5K on music streamer/dac setups. The difference is you are NOT limited in the change of DACS as you have an "external" DDC to add on to anything!!

If you think Ares II needs tranparency, it's there but you do not have the means to tap into the airy sound stage and instrument isolation. This is where the jitter confusion effects the digital garbage signal and tries to make sense of it for a audiofile grade sonically pleasing sign wave. Do your research and read up on the "emphasis" of how higher grade dacs have advertisement of how "fantastic" their crystal/clocks are for input jitter removal................ There is an agenda in how DACS are created and lined up.

Depending on where you live, you can also "trial" source products like Silent Angel N8 switch with F1 linear power supply/N16 all in one or Uptone EtherRegen in cleansing ethernet source and reclocking for precision and reduction of EMI. I used my ears and did not rely on AudioScienceReviews technical graphs. If you are adventurous you can test yourself. However, when it comes to a dedicated product I have concerns of suggesting Mutec reclocking DDC. Others can chime in other products that have real world experience.

Interesting. Hmm..I will think about that.
Thanks

regards,
Simon

 

[spruce]

I see on this thread somebody has used/recommend the Ares 2 with the Monolith LP. I attempted but can barely turn the volume up on the LP. I assume it’s because the output voltage is too high (non-adjustable) on both devices (using fully balanced) and there’s no way to adjust that. If anybody knows how please post!

 

[elnero]

I see on this thread somebody has used/recommend the Ares 2 with the Monolith LP. I attempted but can barely turn the volume up on the LP. I assume it’s because the output voltage is too high (non-adjustable) on both devices (using fully balanced) and there’s no way to adjust that. If anybody knows how please post!

Are you using balanced? If so, try single-ended.

 

[sabloke]

Ares II now sold, listened to it until it was picked up. Back to RME ADI-2 and music sounds good but somehow lifeless... My Venus is a few days away, can't wait to get back to R2R magic.

 

[gto88]

Ares II now sold, listened to it until it was picked up. Back to RME ADI-2 and music sounds good but somehow lifeless... My Venus is a few days away, can't wait to get back to R2R magic.

For one second, I thought you dislike AresII, but on contrary, you upgrade to Venus.
Look forward your impression of this upgrade.

 

[sabloke]

Oh no, I believe the Ares is fantastic, especially at that price!

 

[]eep]

following the analogy, isn't a DDC - exactly- filtering the water downstream? Why not really start at the source and ditch that crappy pc. I use a €70 dap that gives perfect dsd. Or a server (Smsl DP5, also fine).

 

[sabloke]

What makes you think a cheap DAP, or any DAP for that matter, has better USB than a PC?

 

[Louisiana]

What makes you think a cheap DAP, or any DAP for that matter, has better USB than a PC?

It's not about better or worse, it's about the disturbances that get into the USB port during PC operation - that's why many prefer a DDC, if only because of the galvanic isolation.

I use a Raspberry Pi4 with Volumio, from which it goes to a Denafrips Iris, and from there via SPDIF to the Ares2 - brilliant sound quality, no need to start my PC for listening to music.

 

[sabloke]

And the Raspberry Pi is not a PC of sorts? If you use it without an audiophile add-on card the USB output is arguably worse than a regular PC'.

 

[Louisiana]

And the Raspberry Pi is not a PC of sorts? If you use it without an audiophile add-on card the USB output is arguably worse than a regular PC'.

Of course you're right, but there are no parts that cause unrest - fan, hard drive, graphics card, ...
I am very satisfied with this solution and could not find any difference in sound to much more expensive devices.

 

[Louisiana]

This is a streamer, for 1000€, based on simple RPi4
https://magnahifi.com/mano-ultra-music-streamer-high-res/