[Lolito]

The weight on top makes the device vibration much smaller. Every single electronic device in this world has a vibration, speacilly these ones with so much watts and power and electrical connections to the wall, not tiny little batteries. How much it vibrates, very very little. and then, everything is microphonic, in a way or another. When you listen to interviews with engineers who built these devices, not audiophiles on youtube but engineers who earn a saliry by actually designing devices that have to be sold afterwards, they mention both things; everything with electricity vibrates, and where there is a cable there is a microphone. That's why audiophiles prefer heavy stuff, will vibrate much less...

Can it be heard? probably not really, can't A/B it properly I think really, but all in all, it's the little things, when you have done 20 little things, it will sound better, no matter if you notice it or not. You certainly will feel it if it does sound better.

 

[daytrader]

I've watched a lot of videos from them and they seem pretty knowledgeable only this makes scratch my head. Why would that work? Tension on the pcb? I know that some things can produce strange results. Like screwing open a case, look at the inside to see that there's nothing wrong, close it up again and yet... it sounds different somehow!? So what happened, what changed? Is it suggestion. Listening, really active listening can be very difficult because often you don't have a baseline. Or forget. What I'm saying is; it could be true but I very much doubt it.

On the other hand, after I openened a case and I close it up again usually it objectively sounds a lot better. But that is because I change out parts that make a significant difference. I still have not done that to the Ares because I suspect I have nothing to work with (to small smd parts for my limited soldering skil/-station). But I know for a fact that the Ares is good, but not endgame when it comes to sustained piano notes and sopranos. I haven't found the cure yet.

The funny thing about loosing things up is we’ve always heard that “how well made and solid“ products are is a good indication of potential sound quality and product design. Equipment that bends, shakes and squeaks is a sign of “not well made”. As an example, ever taken apart really hi-end equipment? Power tools are needed. Oh well, maybe it’s just throw more idiosyncrasies into the audio soup psyche. LOL

But I’m guess tolerances and screw torque if it would impact sq would be addressed and adjusted to a specific standard during early listening evaluation and design? But what the hell do I know, I’m still using tube audio gear, and love that 2nd harmonic distortion value that many others just call bad measurements.

 

[]eep]

The funny thing about loosing things up is we’ve always heard that “how well made and solid“ products are is a good indication of potential sound quality and product design. Equipment that bends, shakes and squeaks is a sign of “not well made”. As an example, ever taken apart really hi-end equipment? Power tools are needed. Oh well, maybe it’s just throw more idiosyncrasies into the audio soup psyche. LOL

But I’m guess tolerances and screw torque if it would impact sq would be addressed and adjusted to a specific standard during early listening evaluation and design? But what the hell do I know, I’m still using tube audio gear, and love that 2nd harmonic distortion value that many others just call bad measurements.

yup, there's a lot to say about that. But always remember that correlation does not equal causation. Something that is often confused. Often it doesn't. Meaning that normally a solid look means it is well engineered and well made with dedication and craftsmanship. Mass-market products usually cut corners everywhere to maximize profits. So in this case it does as in most experiences you can tell from the looks of it if it's shabby or chic.

In the last decade as Chinese manufacture is catching up often the engineering on the inside wasn't up to par with the exterior. But that was in stark contrast with, let's say, British engineering where the sound was excellent and the looks were... erm... eccentric. As long as it works. Like English sportscars. Or Italian.

In my opinion Denafrips has a good balance where you get a well engineered piece of equipment that has the looks to match. As it should be.

 

[TheRealDz]

You can purchase an extremely affordable Toppings D10(s) to work as a USB to SPDIF (rca or toslink) output.

There are many ways to attempt to improve performance in a DAC. There are components like the Schiit Wyrd but some say it's useless. Wyred4Sound has a re-clocker. Holo Audio Titanis is another inexpensive bolt on that has merits. Sometimes collectively combining several components will help clean source.

Purchasing an expensive USB cable can help. This is where possibly a higher quality boutique cable can reject noise better. This is where some assume a passive wire can fix dirty signal. So much has changed in modern day streaming knowledge in the digital streaming world.

I have tried different DDC like the galvanically isolated Resonessence Labs Concero HD (as DDC), April Music Stello U3, Toppings D10s and (s). Stello U3 sounded warm and clouded details while the rest was transparent and clean. All worked well in performance. All did NOT remove digital glare because those units do not re-clock.

Adding linear power supplies do help in sonics. For example the Mytek Liberty or Brooklyn+ sound terrible without one. Using the mediocre switching power supplies certainly hinders SQ. This is why it's worthy to purchase a clean Linear power supply for that product. This is where a linear power supply is not "fixing" the source streaming data being fed to the digital to analog stage.

Denafrips puts effort into cleaning input stage of Pontus, Venus and Terminator because they know this is taking care of the primary problem with D to A conversion.

At this point in time the overseas market hasn't taken hold of this area in illegally replicating ccts and design. In due time such re-clockers will be cheap around the world.
When that time comes people will open their eyes and achieve almost "end game" status in ultra low jitter. We are still in the infancy of the "realities" of how crucial Digital DATA is to D to A music reproduction. Observe how my post has created "questions".

Oddly, I entice thought yet many are still assuming the only path of analog bliss is to buy a much higher end Venus or Terminator. Indeed such dacs are more involved in R&D and higher in the audio food chain. However, eventually when people understand jitter reduction, buying an SMSL M400 and feeding it ultra low jitter may be hitting endgame status vs buying a 3-10++ grand DAC.

I am stating such a thing is because amongst people I know and personal experience, it's ridiculously obvious in sonic improvements by emphasizing on cleaning "Source".

999€ is not chump change. Reproduced music cannot easily replace real live concerts. Due to Covid, I'm not cool with high density concerts now, possibly ever. In home, I have now achieved a certain level of SQ that satisfies me. The journey has not hit endgame for me but it's at the point of still picking up my jaw off the ground.

From auditioning DACS I know cannot take it as face value as I know the source is contaminated with jitter garbage. So if you've played with Denafrips, Border Patrol, MHDT Lab, IFI NEO IDSD, RME, Toppings, SMSL, FIIO, CHORD, Bryson, Simaudio......the typical and usual suspects. Garbage "in" will always = garbage out, not matter the brand. These are facts we cannot ignore anymore. So my knowledge of clean source will NEVER RATE a dac until I feed it "ideal" input source.

Compare a Bryston BDA3 (under 4 grand) to a SMSL M400 (1 grand). Different DACS and some may be envious of the owner ship of the 4 grand dac. Both DACS will become more fluid and relaxed with analog real world ease with a re-clocking DDC. Personally speaking this is something I can say is impossible with a Schiit Eatr DDC or any regular DDC. Painfully creating endgame in purchasing a re-clocking DDC can make the ARES II possibly almost endgame happiness. Such a combo of Mutec/Ares II can elevate you to audio bliss and make the Bryston BDA3 sound like a hyper detailed fatiguing expensive DAC.

If you own an ARES II and feel it will go to the buy/sell forums to upgrade to a Venus ii. I strongly urge you to work on your source "cleanse" first.

People........fix the problem directly. This is where I suggest upgrading in the DAC after. Pontus, venus and Terminator with a single stage is attempting to clean the source input problem internally in the DAC.

Either buy a streamer/server with ultra low jitter with involved cct and design to re-clock signal or use a CHEAPER streamer/laptop and downstream 100% fix the problem by reducing Jitter with a Reclocking DDC. Truly not complicated at all.

NOTE: all of the SQ improvements is from downstream. The SQ analog bliss improvements is coming from the re-clocking DDC....NOT the laptop/streamer.

Interesting how many feel it's the DAC that is the most major sound changer. It's the tool that translates "dirty or clean" source!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chain of events is crucial in digital. You can always run out and buy a $500-20K DAC. Only the latter will have the high tech input cleanse of jitter. Have you ever heard a cheaper DAC fed with amazing ultra low jitter signal? The answer to most is "NO". I will say you do not know what you are missing.......Once you experience such a thing you'll be in for a shock.

I am confused here; is the Ares capable of being reclocked? It only has coax/toslink/USB inputs, but no external clock input.

 

[Lolito]

I am confused here; is the Ares capable of being reclocked? It only has coax/toslink/USB inputs, but no external clock input.

probably not then, but a real expert should confirm that, I have no glue, the guy of the german ddc reclocked can answer you.

 

[TheRealDz]

probably not then, but a real expert should confirm that, I have no glue, the guy of the german ddc reclocked can answer you.

I see...you have no glue.

So many of these products claim to "regenerate" and "reclock" the signal, but I don't think many do what AlanU means.

@AlanU would I be better off with a Topping D10 vs my Schiit Eitr?

 

[Kromen]

I see...you have no glue.

So many of these products claim to "regenerate" and "reclock" the signal, but I don't think many do what AlanU means.

@AlanU would I be better off with a Topping D10 vs my Schiit Eitr?

I tested both, and IMO Schiit Eitr is vastly superior to topping as ddc.

 

[AlanU]

I see...you have no glue.

So many of these products claim to "regenerate" and "reclock" the signal, but I don't think many do what AlanU means.

@AlanU would I be better off with a Topping D10 vs my Schiit Eitr?

The Mutec MC-3+ USB is a different build internally to the older MC-3+ model.

Shiit Eitr is now discontinued. In the pre-owned market those units will be seen from time to time.

D10(s) and Eitr to my knowledge is your typical ddc converter. Sonically it can be "different" but you will not receive a precise clock signal as it' not stripping the clock from the original source. So essentially the "x" axis will NOT have the precision like a Re-clocking DDC. Key point of all of this discussion is that ARES II is just a great non reclocking input dac. What's the beauty?? Buy any good brand re-clocking DDC in the future and you will honestly think you bought a brand new higher end dac.

 

[AlanU]

I am confused here; is the Ares capable of being reclocked? It only has coax/toslink/USB inputs, but no external clock input.

With a Mutec MC-3+ USB model (or Denafrips/other brands) Re-clocking DDC you can feed the ARES II a re-clocked Toslink or Coax. USB DAC will use the asyncronous usb connection so it's a matter of the internal design of the DAC.

I'll take Coax any day over USB input.

With a decent Toslink connection between my Mutec and DAC, I find the SQ to be excellent as $$$ Coax. Mind you that you are maxed out 24/192. Listening to many DACS on the market I'll certainly take a high quality COAX cable due to the clock signal generated from a precision clock of a re-clocking DDC. I still feel the preservation of clock signal is better with Coax vs toslink (concerned of brittle information highway) I have zero interest in I2S or USB at this moment.

When I2S adopts a universal standard I'll dive into that setup. In the meantime I dare headfi audio geeks to test out Audirvana Studio (kernal streaming) and simply run native. I'm currently running a trial of that software and using 16/44.1 and it's truly the best SQ I've ever achieved with my 2 channel. Holographic detail has improved using the same dac.

RealIDz, there is many ways to skin a cat. Just understand that if you love ARES II now....... You have not even touched it's potential just yet.

If you listen to average source providing MQA or 32 bit high res and compare it to an excellent Re-clocked maxed out 24/192 via coax/toslink. I'd be confident that you will never use USB again.......I feel usb is an inferior form of streaming data for music application. Yes rather bold to say but I have others in 2 channel world that will accept the proprietary Re-clocked I2S implementation or Coax. No yearning of 32 bit resolution from Usb, even in very high end DACS.

 

[sabloke]

I'm using a Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 with a 9.0 V iFi iPower X power supply to feed my DAC over I2S. The improvement in sound quality and holographic detail is striking. I just got a decent coax cable, will give it a try, but I doubt it will improve over the HDMI one.

 

[Lolito]

I'm using a Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 with a 9.0 V iFi iPower X power supply to feed my DAC over I2S. The improvement in sound quality and holographic detail is striking. I just got a decent coax cable, will give it a try, but I doubt it will improve over the HDMI one.

what is your DAC buddy? the one on the avatar? just to confirm it...

 

[Lolito]

With a Mutec MC-3+ USB model (or Denafrips/other brands) Re-clocking DDC you can feed the ARES II a re-clocked Toslink or Coax. USB DAC will use the asyncronous usb connection so it's a matter of the internal design of the DAC.

I'll take Coax any day over USB input.

With a decent Toslink connection between my Mutec and DAC, I find the SQ to be excellent as $$$ Coax. Mind you that you are maxed out 24/192. Listening to many DACS on the market I'll certainly take a high quality COAX cable due to the clock signal generated from a precision clock of a re-clocking DDC. I still feel the preservation of clock signal is better with Coax vs toslink (concerned of brittle information highway) I have zero interest in I2S or USB at this moment.

When I2S adopts a universal standard I'll dive into that setup. In the meantime I dare headfi audio geeks to test out Audirvana Studio (kernal streaming) and simply run native. I'm currently running a trial of that software and using 16/44.1 and it's truly the best SQ I've ever achieved with my 2 channel. Holographic detail has improved using the same dac.

RealIDz, there is many ways to skin a cat. Just understand that if you love ARES II now....... You have not even touched it's potential just yet.

If you listen to average source providing MQA or 32 bit high res and compare it to an excellent Re-clocked maxed out 24/192 via coax/toslink. I'd be confident that you will never use USB again.......I feel usb is an inferior form of streaming data for music application. Yes rather bold to say but I have others in 2 channel world that will accept the proprietary Re-clocked I2S implementation or Coax. No yearning of 32 bit resolution from Usb, even in very high end DACS.

Ok so please correct me if I am wrong, so if you have a dac like an ARES, that does not take I2S, you can still feed it a re-clocked, so properly perfectly clocked COAX signal, coming from any great DDC converters, from noisy USB to clean and perfectly reclocked coax signal, even though the ARES will still use their own clcok to convert to analog... (since it has not I2S, right?).

If it was a DAC with I2S it would be possible to skip the DAC clock, feed it a perfectly clocked signal via I2S, and that signal would be converted to analog in that dac, without using the dac clock, just using the clocked timing coming from I2S from the DDC clock...

Is this correct?

So feeding ARES2 with a perfectly clocked signal, even though we can not bypass ares2 clock, should improve the sound a bit... correct? hope it is clear now, interesting always to be able to improve further an already great product, with a little bit extra investment down the road, right? thanks for the expertise AlanU, by the way:

Aren't there opened threads about this in the forum so we can ask there? I have also sen cheap galvanic isolators that might provide some USB cleaning for little money... or comparing different DDC's performances or DAC pairing, that would be awesome.

 

[sabloke]

what is your DAC buddy? the one on the avatar? just to confirm it...

VENUS II. Had the Ares II and loved it so much I just had to upgrade and get more of that R2R goodness

 

[TheRealDz]

So @AlanU given this is an Ares thread, and I intend to keep my Ares, what is the lowest price DDC you recommend?

If I flip my Eitr, iFi Silencer and iPurifier, I may be able to swing a true reclocker...

 

[TheRealDz]

@sabloke , you have me intrigued by the Matrix. The fact that it improves even your Venus is impressive.

What's the USB connection on the back? I would hate to have to budget for a new cable too...