DENAFRIPS 'ARES' R2R discrete ladder DAC - close up view

[Lolito]

I also made a full in-depth written review about the Ares II

since a lot of people know about it, I did my best to point out personal observations, and compared it with much more expensive DACs, to see how it stands in the market

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2021/01/r2r-alive-denafrips-ares-ii-balanced-r2r-dac.html

Very good review, both in youtube and written. You try lot of dacs, would you agree this is the most "musical" at its price? whatever musical means. I would like a dac that can be used for hours and hours without fatigue, like good old vinyls, but with digital. I think this is the way, and then a jotenheim 2 as headphone amp/pre amp...

 

[shafat777]

Anybody know if you can select which output (rca or xlr) to use in this amp. Also, is there sound degradation when both outputs are used simultaneously?

 

[adamos]

Anybody know if you can select which output (rca or xlr) to use in this amp. Also, is there sound degradation when both outputs are used simultaneously?

There isn’t a selection option that I’m aware of, and a while back on another forum @alvin1118 mentioned that there is a degradation in sound quality if you use both at the same time. I haven’t tried it myself.

“Another important note, please connect either RCA or XLR output, not both simultaneously. The RCA and XLR output is shared, connecting them simultaneously will degrade the sound quality. Regardless of whether the downstream equipment is on/off, the output signal will still be transmitted to the downstream equipment's input stage.”

 

[shafat777]

There isn’t a selection option that I’m aware of, and a while back on another forum @alvin1118 mentioned that there is a degradation in sound quality if you use both at the same time. I haven’t tried it myself.

“Another important note, please connect either RCA or XLR output, not both simultaneously. The RCA and XLR output is shared, connecting them simultaneously will degrade the sound quality. Regardless of whether the downstream equipment is on/off, the output signal will still be transmitted to the downstream equipment's input stage.”

Would love to know this for sure. I have my Elise and gsx-mini hooked up to my Ares 2. Does this also happen in the bifrost 2 ?

 

[shafat777]

I just tried listening with my Empyreans using my gsx-mini (XLR) with the rca output of the ares 2 on and of and i honestly couldnt tell if there's any difference is sound quality.

 

[Dobrescu George]

gree this is the most "musical" at its price? whatever musical means. I would like a dac that can be used for hours and hours without fatigue, like good old vinyls, but with digital. I think this is the way, and then a jotenheim 2 as headphone amp/pre am

Yes, at this price point, I personally haven't heard anything else that was more musical / easier to listen to without losing detail

 

[adamos]

Would love to know this for sure. I have my Elise and gsx-mini hooked up to my Ares 2. Does this also happen in the bifrost 2 ?

I also have a Bifrost 2 and I’m not able to notice any degradation in sound quality when it is connected to two headphone amps at the same time (balanced and single ended). I’ve also read in other threads here that there isn’t any noticeable degradation with the Bifrost 2, but I don’t know for sure.

My Ares II is connected to just one integrated stereo amplifier and I’ve never tried connecting both balanced and single ended at the same time, mainly because I haven’t had a specific need but also because of Alvin’s warning. Next time he drops in here maybe he can provide some additional input.

 

[sajunky]

Yes, at this price point, I personally haven't heard anything else that was more musical / easier to listen to without losing detail

Sure, especially when paired with this: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audio-gd-master-19.24040/reviews

 

[Lolito]

Sure, especially when paired with this: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audio-gd-master-19.24040/reviews

That's a lot of money for such an ugly remote, but of course, might work for others with space, looks great and a ton of analog inputs. I bet it sounds great though. But jot2 is my current candidate, much more value than this one. And I need a compact desktop setup for under the desk actually, not even on the desk. Maybe denafrips should junt into the preamp/amp world, make an under 1000$ candidate to fight against all these, or a full stack of 1500$.

 

[shafat777]

I also have a Bifrost 2 and I’m not able to notice any degradation in sound quality when it is connected to two headphone amps at the same time (balanced and single ended). I’ve also read in other threads here that there isn’t any noticeable degradation with the Bifrost 2, but I don’t know for sure.

My Ares II is connected to just one integrated stereo amplifier and I’ve never tried connecting both balanced and single ended at the same time, mainly because I haven’t had a specific need but also because of Alvin’s warning. Next time he drops in here maybe he can provide some additional input.

That makes me wanna get a bifrost 2 and compare the sound quality with my ares 2. Also, as far as I can tell, I don't hear any difference in sound quality with 2 amps against one connected to my Ares 2

 

[VintageAudio]

That makes me wanna get a bifrost 2 and compare the sound quality with my ares 2. Also, as far as I can tell, I don't hear any difference in sound quality with 2 amps against one connected to my Ares 2

Please do! I've been curious about this too.

All I've seen from some other forums regarding these two is speculation based off of the V1 versions of Bitfrost and Ares - which is not credible in my opinion. On YouTube, mid-fi guy says that the bit frost is somewhere in between the Topping D90 and Ares II. More detail but still some of the that warmth and soundstage of Ares II.

 

[sajunky]

Please do! I've been curious about this too.

All I've seen from some other forums regarding these two is speculation based off of the V1 versions of Bitfrost and Ares - which is not credible in my opinion. On YouTube, mid-fi guy says that the bit frost is somewhere in between the Topping D90 and Ares II. More detail but still some of the that warmth and soundstage of Ares II.

Yeah, but comparing Ares to D90 doesn't make sense. Neither from BOM cost nor SQ. A person who is doing such comparison listen to a music of a Calvin Harris or similar tech stuff.

 

[gto88]

Just updated USB driver 5.0.
Denafrip is the first one that keep USB driver up to date for their product.

 

[Baten]

Just updated USB driver 5.0.
Denafrip is the first one that keep USB driver up to date for their product.

Topping is also on v5.0 haha.

 

[sajunky]

That's a lot of money for such an ugly remote, but of course, might work for others with space, looks great and a ton of analog inputs. I bet it sounds great though. But jot2 is my current candidate, much more value than this one. And I need a compact desktop setup for under the desk actually, not even on the desk. Maybe denafrips should junt into the preamp/amp world, make an under 1000$ candidate to fight against all these, or a full stack of 1500$.

Denafrips can't do it straight away. The amp design requires a different kind of expertise and years of experience. They know it, it is why they decided to avoid problems by using a passive I/V conversion and output.

Bitfrost 2 is priced very close to Ares, but is not NOS. And a ladder is not exactly R2R type. The best combo DAC/AMP with a price below Ares is Audio GD R2R-11 $350. It is NOS only so if you like some artificial details and more smoothness you need to upsample RedBook material on the PC (Foobar + SoX will do). However for my kind of music it is not needed. Headphone amplifier can't compare with Master 19, but drives well my HD600. If you are looking for a cheaper amp for your Ares, there is A-2, slightly above $300. It is very powerful amp, stronger than the one in R-28 combo. Perhaps @Dobrescu George should review this amp, I didn't see any.

If you want to spend more, slightly above $1000 mark, R28 (again) is the best you can get for money. Get one with a clock upgrade (2021 model with reworked interfaces). These amps are pure class A, made of discrete components (no opamps), All share the same Audio GD house of sound: neutral, slightly on a warm side. This hint of warmth dissapear only in Master series. You know that these things depend less on electronic components, but on a quality of power supply - we talk about high-end after all.