DENAFRIPS FPGA Firmware Update (12TH Anniv.)

[kengt]

It gave me a lots of laugh and joy by reading "I also enjoy with the FPGA burn-in joke. All these lazy electrons…" and "Yassas my friend, it was crazy about the FPGA burn-in, what it really burnt was my ears, going back to the OG was instant pleasure, Nirvana again haha".

 

[medon]

Ethernet=>Mercury Streamer=>I²S =>P II=>Balanced=> Preamp
New firmware too bright. No change in SQ with over 200 hr. "Burn-in". None. "For me"
Revert to Old Firmware: Sublime Immediately…(NO "Burn-in").
Maybe it’s a headphones/speaker thing?…or just hearing differences in each individual?
…of course system synergy has to be in-play with all of our assessments, too. It’s complicated.
(I have experienced burn-in with physical components caps, speakers etc. When my Pontus was new it was bright…it needed burn-in. It mellowed. Definitely. (I just did not experience any "burn-in" with these firmware back & forths . The sound changes immediately with each install and stays that way. "for me" ).

Did you check other connections? (USB, maybe Coax, ...)

With my streamer (Auralic Aries) USB sounds better compared to SPDIF with three different DACs: ARES II / VENUS II / Holo Spring 3 KTE (a friend's DAC).
Since my streamer cannot output I2S, I cannot check this option.

 

[medon]

Lumin => Wireworld Platinum 7 Coaxial => Titans Helen => Wireworld Platinum 7 I2S => P-II

Good listening !

Did you try USB (just for fun ) ?

 

[kengt]

The Titans Helen jitter reducer doesn't take USB. But I did try Lumin with Singxer SU-6 DDC. I prefer Helen more than SU-6.
The reason I got SU-6 is that the Helen has problems working with Qobuz streaming services. Every time when the music changing sampling rate, Helen would take 12 sec to lock in. Luckily, Roon solved this problem for me because Roon let me set all music to a constant sampling rate.
Cheer!

 

[medon]

.... Luckily, Roon solved this problem for me because Roon let me set all music to a constant sampling rate.

Ah, interesting. Do you have Roon do an upsample to - say - 192kHz?

I'm just curios - I send original Qobuz data via USB into my DAC. So all upsampling is done by the DAC in my case.

 

[Riccioli30]

I did forget to mention that I listen with speakers (Spendor/REL subs). With your new Pontus some run in will be required. I'm still on the new firmware but now back to upsampling to DSD 256 using HQPlayer. PCM NOS mode and HQP upsampling to 768 or 1536 is pretty darn good as well.

I did forget to mention that I listen with speakers (Spendor/REL subs). With your new Pontus some run in will be required. I'm still on the new firmware but now back to upsampling to DSD 256 using HQPlayer. PCM NOS mode

I did forget to mention that I listen with speakers (Spendor/REL subs). With your new Pontus some run in will be required. I'm still on the new firmware but now back to upsampling to DSD 256 using HQPlayer. PCM NOS mode and HQP upsampling to 768 or 1536 is pretty darn good as well.

I share a listening update of my P2/12. last sw. - always on for 5 days from now, but with maybe 20/25 hours of active signal (from Dat, cd transport, file hires from Mac, via usb/Xrl interface. Direct usb input not tested yet). The sound is settling with a strange progression already seen with other dacs I've had in the past.
Fair from the start, then getting worse, a bit constrained/frozen, but then it's now defining itself in the image as well. Less and less widespread with a tendency to concentrate between the speakers on the same plane. I share that it looks better with NOS and phase On (imho). Vishine advised me to do 300 hours of break-in and trust the factory SW (latest). I believe they are right. Very friendly. A service of the highest quality, found only a few times with specific manufacturers. I hope to have better microdynamics, (female vocal nuances for example, but also upper extension, and bass articulation). There could be some tentative signs in this direction and I'm optimistic. I listen with the speakers of the system in my studio, where it is destined, but I will try it, out of curiosity, also in the main system - with tubes and high efficiency speakers - to understand where it ends up once the running-in is complete, and quantify the difference with my digital reference (Audio Note ) which has a refined but different presentation of the music I'm used to, but which can't handle modern sources and hi-res or dsd files.

 

[kengt]

Ah, interesting. Do you have Roon do an upsample to - say - 192kHz?

I'm just curios - I send original Qobuz data via USB into my DAC. So all upsampling is done by the DAC in my case.

I set at 96kHz on Roon. I prefer this sampling rate on all music.

 

[joseG86]

Maybe it is useful to learn a thing or two

 

[naka9]

The streamer is definitely very important. The Lumin is very relax and musical. It will take advantage of the new FW. I also have Auralic Aries Femto and used to connect it to the Singxer SU-6 and P-II. I have to say I really love the sound.

I also have the PII and the Auralic Aries Femto, connected with an Audioquest Carbon USB.
Can ask where do you find that the Singxer SU-6 makes a

And what about the Titan Labs Hellen performance with the PII?

I am trying to figure out how can I upgrade my transports (cd or streamer) signal up to the PII.
Thanks

 

[PoMarantz]

Maybe it is useful to learn a thing or two

José…my brain exploded by minute 8!

 

[kengt]

I also have the PII and the Auralic Aries Femto, connected with an Audioquest Carbon USB.
Can ask where do you find that the Singxer SU-6 makes a

And what about the Titan Labs Hellen performance with the PII?

I am trying to figure out how can I upgrade my transports (cd or streamer) signal up to the PII.
Thanks

I would buy Hermes or Gaia because they have both USB (for streamer) and other digital inputs (CD player) and better clock than SU-6. However, I don't own either Hermes or Gaia so I don't know how they compare to the Helen.

With my setup now after burn in, Lumin (via Roon)/Helen/PII (new FW), I sincerely believe the PII outperform other DACs that costs 3-4 times more. And I am fighting hard with my curiosity whether I should upgrade to TII 12 or T-plus 12 now or wait a few more years for the next move.

Note: With TII 12 or T-plus 12, I may not need the Helen any more.

 

[medon]

I also have the PII and the Auralic Aries Femto, connected with an Audioquest Carbon USB.
Can ask where do you find that the Singxer SU-6 makes a

And what about the Titan Labs Hellen performance with the PII?

I am trying to figure out how can I upgrade my transports (cd or streamer) signal up to the PII.
Thanks

... aside from a good clock, I think it's also important to have a decent AC power distribution. I use IsoTek stuff (the affordable series, nothing too fancy) and it made a difference in sound quality. Tarun / aka British Audiophile and Hans Beekhuyzen both recommend taking care of this.

 

[CAJames]

I would buy Hermes or Gaia because they have both USB (for streamer) and other digital inputs (CD player) and better clock than SU-6. However, I don't own either Hermes or Gaia so I don't know how they compare to the Helen.

With my setup now after burn in, Lumin (via Roon)/Helen/PII (new FW), I sincerely believe the PII outperform other DACs that costs 3-4 times more. And I am fighting hard with my curiosity whether I should upgrade to TII 12 or T-plus 12 now or wait a few more years for the next move.

Note: With TII 12 or T-plus 12, I may not need the Helen any more.

Agree a Hermes or Gaia would be a nice upgrade for any Denafrips DAC, and will improve all your sources. Just plan on using the I2S connection.

I also highly recommend a T2 or T+ , with or without a DDC. I got a T2 soon after it came out and was blown away by how much better it sounded than my previous (pretty nice) Yamaha DAC/SACD player. I soon added a Gaia (I would have gone Hermes but the Terminator is silver and Hermes only comes in black...) and it was a nice upgrade on top of that. And got even better when I started syncing the clock between the two.

It seems like Denafrips does a great job at delivering real sonic improvement each step up the product chain.

 

[medon]

Maybe it is useful to learn a thing or two

... thanks! Interesting video.
But... did I miss the part why my DAC sounded a little sharp after reprogramming the FPGA? (o:

 

[naka9]

I would buy Hermes or Gaia because they have both USB (for streamer) and other digital inputs (CD player) and better clock than SU-6. However, I don't own either Hermes or Gaia so I don't know how they compare to the Helen.

With my setup now after burn in, Lumin (via Roon)/Helen/PII (new FW), I sincerely believe the PII outperform other DACs that costs 3-4 times more. And I am fighting hard with my curiosity whether I should upgrade to TII 12 or T-plus 12 now or wait a few more years for the next move.

Note: With TII 12 or T-plus 12, I may not need the Helen any more.

That makes sense... although it costs much more than I want to spend.
Let’s see if “must” out rules “want”
That is the same reason for my lack of will to change the PII for a Terminator, as it costed me more than I ever wanted to spend on a hi-fi component... just a personal point of view.
Perhaps on a near future we will have a sub $750 high quality DDC equipped with several different inputs.