[joseG86]

I've been listening to music on the new firmware for about 5 hours. Someone has already written and I confirm that the new firmware is sonically between original 1.0 and 1.3. For me, in my conditions, version 1.4 is nicer than version 1.3 and it also seems to have a lot of details and space. Who knows if I listen to another week, maybe I will not go back to version 1.0

I concur, I am enjoying 1.4 and it is like 1.0 but more detailed, focused, improved imaging, bass slams with the right tracks and it is not smoothed out in the edges (hard hits).

There's better sound quality that is for sure, 1.0 still king overall for long sessions of listening, mellow, delicate sound, the right amount of everything to please everyone

I'll repeat what I said in a few posts before, it is not about being better or worse, it's about being able to choose at anytime the type of sound you want and obtain it in a matter of seconds

I think Denafrips is next level and I can't recommend it enough

 

[Sean H]

I've been listening to music on the new firmware for about 5 hours. Someone has already written and I confirm that the new firmware is sonically between original 1.0 and 1.3. For me, in my conditions, version 1.4 is nicer than version 1.3 and it also seems to have a lot of details and space. Who knows if I listen to another week, maybe I will not go back to version 1.0

That's where I'm at right now, want to give it some time to make sure. I agree that 1.4 has a noticeable increase in detail and spatial qualities for sure. I also find the treble to be more refined and smoother. I would say 1.4 makes the Pontus sound more refined overall to my ears. Just to be clear here, I like 1.0 a lot, but in comparison to 1.4 it sounds a bit fuzzier and less refined - which is part of it's appeal to me - almost like second harmonic distortion giving it a slightly ethereal quality and more vague imaging to some degree. 1.4 sounds more buttoned up but yet so smooth and full. Right now I am loving 1.4 big time but more time will tell.

 

[szore]

As far as AresII F/W goes I have gotten used to the brightness, or maybe it burned in, but I'm ok with it now...

 

[NehPets]

As far as AresII F/W goes I have gotten used to the brightness, or maybe it burned in, but I'm ok with it now...

Same here. V1.6 came a couple of weeks after a fuse "upgrade" and sounded different. A week or so later, V1.0 went on, which sounded different again. V1.6 is back on, but now I'm feeding it a coax signal and all's good.

 

[prima186]

PONTUS II-12th 1.3→1.4 NOS I2S
2 days after update

Better sound clarity and depth of sound.
I always use the DAC power supply on, so "aging" is necessary for evaluation.
I thought it was greatly improved in "1.3", but I feel that "1.4" has even better balance.

 

[joseG86]

Update for 1.4:
I'm back to 1.0 again and I prefer the sonic qualities of the OG firmware, 1.4 is great but I simply prefer 1.0. Sinergy with my system is better to my ears and preferences, maybe with a less detailed headphone 1.4 could be my endgame!

I encourage everyone to try 1.4

 

[medon]

Update for 1.4:
I'm back to 1.0 again and I prefer the sonic qualities of the OG firmware, 1.4 is great but I simply prefer 1.0. Sinergy with my system is better to my ears and preferences, maybe with a less detailed headphone 1.4 could be my endgame!

I encourage everyone to try 1.4

Thanks for the comments.
Hint:
For Venus (II) there is a V3.1 firmware, which irons out some bugs, but is (I believe) the old sound signature.

Can't wait to try out a 3.4 (?) - mix of sound signatures - on my DAC!

 

[Sandro Sena]

Like Jose, I went back to firmware v1.0, I tried to stay with v1.4, I understand the benefits it brings and, again like Jose, I encourage you to try this latest version. The work of the Denafrips team, as explained in Alvin's most recent video, is magnificent, after all we have three firmware options with more or less diverse sonorities, which can be quietly considered a kind of immaterial element to adjust our systems.

About v1.0, it is possible to describe approximately how "it" sounds (it is not exactly about HIM) using some well known audiophile terms... warm, full, fuzzy, etc. but the sum of all these terms and the characteristics they designate plus many others not mentioned here, still won't tell us what v1.0 brings to my system. This is convincing proof of the old mereological principle: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And if there is a single word to describe this whole, it is a word for which we have no terms to define it, a word that any objectivist will turn up their nose at with their typical complete lack of understanding of the powers and impossibilities of our language: MAGIC!

What does "magic" mean? You don't need to ask, because you already know what it means, that is, you know how to use it.

 

[joseG86]

Like Jose, I went back to firmware v1.0, I tried to stay with v1.4, I understand the benefits it brings and, again like Jose, I encourage you to try this latest version. The work of the Denafrips team, as explained in Alvin's most recent video, is magnificent, after all we have three firmware options with more or less diverse sonorities, which can be quietly considered a kind of immaterial element to adjust our systems.

About v1.0, it is possible to describe approximately how "it" sounds (it is not exactly about HIM) using some well known audiophile terms... warm, full, fuzzy, etc. but the sum of all these terms and the characteristics they designate plus many others not mentioned here, still won't tell us what v1.0 brings to my system. This is convincing proof of the old mereological principle: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And if there is a single word to describe this whole, it is a word for which we have no terms to define it, a word that any objectivist will turn up their nose at with their typical complete lack of understanding of the powers and impossibilities of our language: MAGIC!

What does "magic" mean? You don't need to ask, because you already know what it means, that is, you know how to use it.

Lovely words: Warm, full, fuzzy, rich.... Like 1.4 but in a different way

Thanks!

 

[DKUSA]

I’m trying the 1.4 version on my Pontus II for 3 days. No more micro skips, better sound, but I’ve experienced a glitch probably due to a very momentary digital to analog conversion glitch. The glitch happened once yesterday and once today with different songs. Played the same songs several times again, but I could not reproduce the issue. It is totally random. Using I2S as input.
I’ll keep testing and if it happens again, I’ll roll back to 1.0 which runs smoothly.

 

[DKUSA]

I’m trying the 1.4 version on my Pontus II for 3 days. No more micro skips, better sound, but I’ve experienced a glitch probably due to a very momentary digital to analog conversion glitch. The glitch happened once yesterday and once today with different songs. Played the same songs several times again, but I could not reproduce the issue. It is totally random. Using I2S as input.
I’ll keep testing and if it happens again, I’ll roll back to 1.0 which runs smoothly.

Probably the run-in for more than 70 hours made difference, and I’ve not experienced any micro glitch. I personally like the bit brighter sound and tighter bass on the 1.4. I have a tube pre-amp in the path, and maybe the brighter highs don’t bother me much because of that.

 

[PoMarantz]

Probably the run-in for more than 70 hours made difference, and I’ve not experienced any micro glitch. I personally like the bit brighter sound and tighter bass on the 1.4. I have a tube pre-amp in the path, and maybe the brighter highs don’t bother me much because of that.

Are you listening on speakers or headphones?

 

[DKUSA]

Are you listening on speakers or headphones?

I'm listening on speakers. For the Pontus input, I've tried all types (USB, Coax, Optical, XLR , I²S) and the best result was using I²S.

 

[Asimov-kln]

Pontus II can't wake up from standby after a failed FPGA firmware update to version 1.4.
I completely failed today while updating the FPGA from version 1.3 to version 1.4. My initial FPGA upgrade went smoothly. On a different PC, though, the flushing software started but ended with an error message when I tried it today. When I switch the DAC back on after it has been turned off, it is still in standby mode and not responding.
Any assistance or knowledge would be greatly appreciated in this case.

 

[PoMarantz]

I'm listening on speakers. For the Pontus input, I've tried all types (USB, Coax, Optical, XLR , I²S) and the best result was using I²S.

Speakers here, too. Mercury Streamer=> I²S => Pontus II
I am using a supercharged Schiit Freya+ in tube mode with a McIntosh MC152 power Amp…I went back to V1.0. I found V1.3 to be way too bright "for me". I am hanging in the wings smiling….to see what others think.
It seems that after a few days some are coming back to V1.0… I may not bother trying V1.4……
sounds like you are kind of on the fence? Sometimes it takes about a week to decide if the overall sound is fatiguing…..