[S Crowther]

For $6800 USD I'd consider used chord dave or get rockna wavedream balanced used. That kind of money is just too much for me to invest in a company that will release a new version every 2-3 years. If it costs $1000-2000 fine, but not at that price.

Don’t understand that. Why should a new version make the old one sound worse?

 

[NoNameNPC]

Why we can't make request to Denafrips to add support of external clock via i2s for example or add button to choose between internal or external, think this is one of reason why people won't by they products.

 

[smodtactical]

Don’t understand that. Why should a new version make the old one sound worse?

Never claimed that.

 

[S Crowther]

Never claimed that.

“That kind of money is just too much for me to invest in a company that will release a new version every 2-3 years”

 

[Articnoise]

Don’t understand that. Why should a new version make the old one sound worse?

Even if it sounds as good as before, the price normally drops significantly in the secondary market. The fact that the price drops when new models are released does not only apply to hifi stuff, but to all types of goods and even if the difference in performance is small between the new and old model.

 

[richardloh]

For $6800 USD I'd consider used chord dave or get rockna wavedream balanced used. That kind of money is just too much for me to invest in a company that will release a new version every 2-3 years. If it costs $1000-2000 fine, but not at that price.

Hi smodtactical,

Joined the Terminator owners group late and indeed I felt the pain to sell off my <1 yr old standard terminator at a significant loss but my audition of the demo Terminator plus with big improvement in sound quality made it a no brainer decision for me .. no regrets till now especially with gaia to have other sources in single synced ocxo clock with preferred i2s connectivity

Dave's and Rockna's looks does not appeal to me and both do not offer single synced clocking technology which does appeal to me.

Moreover, I also did not have the opportunity to audition them in my system to know better and rather get new with validated significant improvement if I can afford .. this case the Terminator Plus.

Cheers.

Richard

 

[Swann36]

Good point. Most people don't keep their equipment after a few years. So unless you plan on keeping the Terminator for 10+ years, it's probably not going to be an issue.
Though a full recap down the line would be impossible, with all the capacitors it has inside.

I have a few pieces of kit that are not only 10years old but over 40 years old and still give great service without being overshadowed by the latest kit in their role to my ears, so i always look for kit that can be kept running at least 10 years and at my age now ideally 20 which may well see me out ...maybe not of life but rather the ability to hear really well after which i'm not sure hifi will matter as much as it did ...

 

[Swann36]

The DAC (any DAC) would be long obsolete by that time.

I'm thinking 800 hrs isnt that long ...

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I'm thinking 800 hrs isnt that long ...

That's right, especially when most people leave them on pretty much permanently. But, I didn't read the post you're responding to so maybe I'm totally wrong again

 

[richardloh]

Hi,

Hope not and just in case especially those not using denafrips products at default i2s hdmi setting, please note both standard and plus version of Terminator is default at negative phase after powering up else it will not sound best nor right .. if you are not sensitive to correct phase and somehow missed RYFM.

My audible illusion L3A preamp is also negative phase and hence no issue from day 1 ... free upgrade in sound quality if you had been hearing wrongly phased setup.

Cheers.

Richard

 

[WilliamWykeham]

I am wondering whether anyone else notices that the coax and USB inputs into the Terminator sound crazy different. Coax, I get this brighter, more coherent sound that I really like especially for classical. USB, it's darker, can be bland with certain genres. I find myself very much preferring the coax connection for most of my listening, but maybe it's the cables?

Shanti / Allo Digione Signature --> Silver Requisite coax --> terminator

Custom server with JCAT USB XE --> Curious Evolved USB --> terminator

 

[Yitaro1]

I am wondering whether anyone else notices that the coax and USB inputs into the Terminator sound crazy different. Coax, I get this brighter, more coherent sound that I really like especially for classical. USB, it's darker, can be bland with certain genres. I find myself very much preferring the coax connection for most of my listening, but maybe it's the cables?

Shanti / Allo Digione Signature --> Silver Requisite coax --> terminator

Custom server with JCAT USB XE --> Curious Evolved USB --> terminator

That's the opposite of my finding. I am running USB direct from my Nuc ROCK to the Terminator-Plus. I'm finding that usb provide better details and layering. AES from Bryston bdp-1 sounds dull and flat compare to the USB from ROCK.
.

 

[cazone]

Yesterday evening I did a little experiment.
I always had the impression that digital components are very sensitive to vibration. And I had mostly success with footers with combinations of different materials.

My Terminator is already sitting on a ikea bamboo board. And yesterday I took the stone blocks I had under my previous DAC. Those are very light blocks to scrub your heels ...
The spikes sit on a little brass plate.

The improvement in space and definition is very very impressive!

c*

 

[WilliamWykeham]

That's the opposite of my finding. I am running USB direct from my Nuc ROCK to the Terminator-Plus. I'm finding that usb provide better details and layering. AES from Bryston bdp-1 sounds dull and flat compare to the USB from ROCK.

Turns out my USB card needed more time to burn in. I still like the coax connection but it can get fatiguing. USB is another level in SQ, especially from something like JCAT.

 

[dhc0329]

I just got the new Terminator II released just recently and this thing is heavy as in real heavy. Hard time lifting it up even. The sound is as massive as its weight. Gigantic sound stage is what I first noticed with ultra high resolution on high while bass is still kinda bloated at the moment so I had to use to EQ to bring it down few notches but it sure has massive impact. I am hoping I can refine the bass region with further burn-in. This is some organic sounding DAC at best. I have no complaints about the sound output excepts it requires a little more bass frequency refinement.

One major complaint I have about this thing is that it doesn't have the auto standby mode or no power switch. No remote. At its idle it constantly draws about 24 watt doing nothing which is not energy efficient at all.