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

[xllms]

Good to see a solution. Your trouble is related to your strong preference to volume control and it needs a comment to clear misunderstanding. DSD format do not allow a digital volume control. It means you can only use volume control after a conversion to analog. To satisfy your needs, the application would need convert a source to PCM, adjust a volume, then convert back to DSD. It seems Roon do not offer such option and they are right, as any conversion from/to DSD involve a quality degradation.

Thank you for enlightening me that DSD does not allow digital volume control. Learned something new today, greatly appreciate it.

 

[550591]

Hi guys. Everyone still happy with the Ares 2 or did someone here sell the ares again?

I want to make sure this DAC is not just "hyped" based of some reviews on YouTube.

I'm currently considering the Ares 2, Musican Pegasus & Draco, bifrost 2.

Problem with the ares 2 and bifrost 2 is to actually get my hands on one in the EU.

I'm currently running a Singer SA1 headphone amp (all analog device) and I use a Cambridge cxn V2 as streamer (dual Wolfson DAC).


And my Cxa81 has a ESS sabre DAC. That's why I'm Interested in a R2R DAC.

I have the topping D90SE and Gustard x16 on my list as well. But a R2R Dac might be more fun?

 

[Kiats]

Hi guys. Everyone still happy with the Ares 2 or did someone here sell the ares again?

I want to make sure this DAC is not just "hyped" based of some reviews on YouTube.

I'm currently considering the Ares 2, Musican Pegasus & Draco, bifrost 2.

Problem with the ares 2 and bifrost 2 is to actually get my hands on one in the EU.

I'm currently running a Singer SA1 headphone amp (all analog device) and I use a Cambridge cxn V2 as streamer (dual Wolfson DAC).


And my Cxa81 has a ESS sabre DAC. That's why I'm Interested in a R2R DAC.

I have the topping D90SE and Gustard x16 on my list as well. But a R2R Dac might be more fun?

Not sure there was a YouTube hyping the Ares II.

Order directly from Vinshine. Shipping is pretty quick.

 

[sajunky]

Thank you for enlightening me that DSD does not allow digital volume control. Learned something new today, greatly appreciate it.

My pleasure. The only things that disappoint me that Roon does it wrong when it converts to PCM 44.1kHz. It should convert DSD64 to PCM 24/88.2kHz, DSD128 to 24/176.4kHz and so for. Or at least it should give an option in preferences.

 

[okan]

I've recently bought ares 2 dac. This is my first r2r dac in my headphone setup (flux fa-10 and he6se). I am impressed with the sound and I am thinking to sell my topping dx7 pro. Topping has more details but there is something tempting with the ares sound. Topping's soundstage is also not bad but ares' soundstage is very tempting especially with jazz. It sounds more real. Since I've been listening sigma delta chips for years, when I first listened ares 2 , I thought this dac is not my cup of tea but after sometime I noticed ares 2 also very detailed dac. Sabre chips seems more emphasize the micro details. If my wife won't kill me , I would probably have 2 dacs for different genres I have 10 years old imac and I am not sure if I use ares 2 via usb or optical. Usb or optical , which one would be better?

 

[sajunky]

I have 10 years old imac and I am not sure if I use ares 2 via usb or optical. Usb or optical , which one would be better?

MACs, even 10 years old have a modern USB implementation. Optical sound better only when USB carry a lot of ground loops. Even then, they are ways to deal with a problem. These days optical should be a last I would try.

 

[okan]

MACs, even 10 years old have a modern USB implementation. Optical sound better only when USB carry a lot of ground loops. Even then, they are ways to deal with a problem. These days optical should be a last I would try.

Thanks. I've plugged it via USB.

 

[driftingbunnies]

I've recently bought ares 2 dac. This is my first r2r dac in my headphone setup (flux fa-10 and he6se). I am impressed with the sound and I am thinking to sell my topping dx7 pro. Topping has more details but there is something tempting with the ares sound. Topping's soundstage is also not bad but ares' soundstage is very tempting especially with jazz. It sounds more real. Since I've been listening sigma delta chips for years, when I first listened ares 2 , I thought this dac is not my cup of tea but after sometime I noticed ares 2 also very detailed dac. Sabre chips seems more emphasize the micro details. If my wife won't kill me , I would probably have 2 dacs for different genres I have 10 years old imac and I am not sure if I use ares 2 via usb or optical. Usb or optical , which one would be better?

If you go up the r2r dac ladder, r2r dacs will continue to have the same realness like the ares but will have the same detail and resolution of the d/s dacs.

 

[dougms3]

Built my first cable for the Ares II. Its a thick boy furutech fp-s55n with fi-46 gold iec and plug.

 

[Rolfgang]

I'm really want to upgrade my SMSL SU-9 to an R2R DAC. My choices in that regard are between the Ares II and the Bifrost 2. Everything I've read about both DACs is that the Ares II would be a bit better for my preferences, but there is something that I'm really worried about: the latency.

A couple of reviewers have said that the DAC had a latency issue, which introduces a delay that might be noticeable during movies or gaming. Can anyone confirm that problem or is it overblown? Will the latency destroy lip-sync in movies for example?

 

[ARCXENOS]

I'm really want to upgrade my SMSL SU-9 to an R2R DAC. My choices in that regard are between the Ares II and the Bifrost 2. Everything I've read about both DACs is that the Ares II would be a bit better for my preferences, but there is something that I'm really worried about: the latency.

A couple of reviewers have said that the DAC had a latency issue, which introduces a delay that might be noticeable during movies or gaming. Can anyone confirm that problem or is it overblown? Will the latency destroy lip-sync in movies for example?

This is my experience, my Ares2 did not have latency to that degree. I can perfectly play FPS games (csgo, valorant) with it on my desktop setup. Both on NOS and OS modes.

Others have also told me I should be expecting latency, but my unit didn't seem to have a noticeable latency to the point of desyncing, so I don't know what else to tell you.

The pontus 2 on the otherhand, has more people saying it has latency issues, but I have no first hand experience with it, can't comment much

 

[royalemint]

No latency issue here as well, with Ares II.

 

[Rolfgang]

This is my experience, my Ares2 did not have latency to that degree. I can perfectly play FPS games (csgo, valorant) with it on my desktop setup. Both on NOS and OS modes.

Others have also told me I should be expecting latency, but my unit didn't seem to have a noticeable latency to the point of desyncing, so I don't know what else to tell you.

The pontus 2 on the otherhand, has more people saying it has latency issues, but I have no first hand experience with it, can't comment much

No latency issue here as well, with Ares II.

Thank you, both! It seems my fears were ungrounded.

 

[dougms3]

So I found out last weekend that having both outputs connected will cause severe sound degradation and distortion. Only one output can be connected at a time.

 

[alvin1118]

Guide: Can i connect the DAC output to two devices?