New denafrips DDC (Iris and Gaia)

[medon]

Anyone with experience of using an Iris with an ADI-2 DAS FS? Is there a worthwhile improvement or does the FS clock already do the job well enough?

... didn't try. What I did try though some time ago was replacing the originally supplied power supply (the switch mode PSU) with something different. There was a change in sound, though I don't remember if it was all better.
My trusted HiFi dealer told me that putting a better PSU in front of the RME DAC improves things. I would give this priority over a DDC, since the RME seems to have pretty good jitter rejection anyway, but its analog output stage would probably benefit from better DC with less noise and ripple.

 

[ProLoL]

Using a ddc will always improve / change the presentation for the better or worse if you don't fond the blend of both devices sound signature. Ddcs like DI20 will allow to play with different firmwares to reach your preferred presentation.

 

[Simon Patten]

... didn't try. What I did try though some time ago was replacing the originally supplied power supply (the switch mode PSU) with something different. There was a change in sound, though I don't remember if it was all better.
My trusted HiFi dealer told me that putting a better PSU in front of the RME DAC improves things. I would give this priority over a DDC, since the RME seems to have pretty good jitter rejection anyway, but its analog output stage would probably benefit from better DC with less noise and ripple.

Thanks. I have been wondering about replacing the PSU with either an LPS or 12v battery, I would have thought that it would improve the sound but most people seem to think it won't make much difference.

 

[medon]

Thanks. I have been wondering about replacing the PSU with either an LPS or 12v battery, I would have thought that it would improve the sound but most people seem to think it won't make much difference.

There's an interesting video by Hans Beekhuyzen:


... describing the effect of different power supplies on a DAC, and -- even more interesting -- the effects of different voltages on sound with this very DAC.

 

[CAJames]

Thanks. I have been wondering about replacing the PSU with either an LPS or 12v battery, I would have thought that it would improve the sound but most people seem to think it won't make much difference.

I’m a big believer in replacing all the SMPS with LPS. It isn’t just about the power, it is getting all the EM switching noise out of your environment.

 

[medon]

I’m a big believer in replacing all the SMPS with LPS. It isn’t just about the power, it is getting all the EM switching noise out of your environment.

Yeah... as an experienced guy at my dealer's put it, in a talk about dirty AC power and counter measures as AC filters, regenerators and such:
"The HiFi system is its own worst enemy".
What he meant is that PSUs from the HiFi system's individual components tend to disturb each other....

 

[Funnychap]

Yeah... as an experienced guy at my dealer's put it, in a talk about dirty AC power and counter measures as AC filters, regenerators and such:
"The HiFi system is its own worst enemy".
What he meant is that PSUs from the HiFi system's individual components tend to disturb each other....

I feel that way too, that's why I use 2 iFi Supanova active noise cancelling power cables (for the DAC Denafrips Pontus II 12th-1 and preamp Parasound 2100) because it stops noise from coming in or going out to other components.

soure = Apple Music lossless

My video:

 

[Weissenborn]

I would like to know what the technical and / or sonical differences are between a Denafrips Gaia and a Innuos Phoenix USB.
I know they have different price tags but I'm more interested how do they work.....

 

[Weissenborn]

Hello,
I have a question about the I2S pinout configuration of my Venus II 12th-1. I recently added a Denafrips Gaia 12th (over a I2S cable to the Venus) to my setup and it makes quite a difference in a positive way. My question is now:

Does it make any difference which I2S mode (0 to 7 explained in both manuals) I use as long as I set both devices to the same mode?

Thanks for your help....

 

[sygnus21]

Hello,
I have a question about the I2S pinout configuration of my Venus II 12th-1. I recently added a Denafrips Gaia 12th (over a I2S cable to the Venus) to my setup and it makes quite a difference in a positive way. My question is now:

Does it make any difference which I2S mode (0 to 7 explained in both manuals) I use as long as I set both devices to the same mode?

Thanks for your help.

There is no easy answer to your question and you're just going to have to go by what your ears say.

I have a Pontus and Iris, and honestly once did the test tones and found everything worked, I left it set to where it was and never looked back. That is whatever the Pontus was set to from factory, also the Iris, worked as should without issue.

I think it's more about whether the cable you use works with the DAC as opposed to "better" sound quality.

 

[Weissenborn]

I think it's more about whether the cable you use works with the DAC as opposed to "better" sound quality.

I use a 50 cm / 1,5 feet long "Tubulus Concentus I2S Cable V2".
I did some testing with the different I2S modes with my Denafrips Venus II / Gaia and as long I use the same mode on both devices everything is fine / sounds good.
When I use different modes on both devices I get (of course) heavy distortion / cracking.
I can hear no difference when both devices set to mode 0.1.2.3..... so I keep them both in the factory mode 0.
Maybe this will help other people......

 

[sygnus21]

Ordered the Hermes DDC today as an upgrade from my Iris to go with my Pontus. Should be arriving sometime within the next 10 days. Ordered it Direct from Denafrips.

BTW, if you've bought Denafrips gear from Vinshine Audio and earned reward points (as I did), Denafrips is allowing those to be transferred to them, and used for discounts. That saved me over $150 USD off the standard price of the Hermes.

Also of interest is Denafrips now has distributors in the U.S. - https://www.denafrips.com/ (scroll to the bottom). Can't speak on those stores because again, I ordered my unit direct from China due to the discount given there.

 

[Smoothstereo]

Ordered the Hermes DDC today as an upgrade from my Iris to go with my Pontus. Should be arriving sometime within the next 10 days. Ordered it Direct from Denafrips.

BTW, if you've bought Denafrips gear from Vinshine Audio and earned reward points (as I did), Denafrips is allowing those to be transferred to them, and used for discounts. That saved me over $150 USD off the standard price of the Hermes.

Also of interest is Denafrips now has distributors in the U.S. - https://www.denafrips.com/ (scroll to the bottom). Can't speak on those stores because again, I ordered my unit direct from China due to the discount given there.

Thanks, thats great news. How do you transfer the Vinshine points to Denafrips?

 

[sygnus21]

Thanks, thats great news. How do you transfer the Vinshine points to Denafrips?

Go to the link I posted and scroll through it. The info is there.

 

[sygnus21]

My Hermes DDC came in today as a replacement to my Iris DDC. Bought direct from Denafrips. Took about 6 days to arrive. You could argue it was double boxed being the outer box was just thin carboard for the sole purpose was to hide the Denafrips name on the container box. No power cord (as suspected).

I2S configuration is easier on the Hermes. Just click the setup button and cycle through the different modes using the “Opt” button.

Setup was simple as plug and play, and like the Iris, the Hermes is feed from PC by a Supra Excalibur USB cable and outputs to both my Pontus 12th-1 via I2S (HDMI), and the Teac 701 CDP/DAC via optical (Toslink) cable.

Listening to FLAC files (16-bit/44.1mHz; 24-bit/192mHz, no DSD), initial impressions are it seems like a veil has been lifted off the music. The Iris wasn’t bad, I love what it was doing, but the Hermes is a little better. Brings to mind a comment I heard from a reviewer when he said as good as the Pontus is, the Venus is just a little better. How feel hearing both headphone setup: Pontus > Artemis HPA > Sennheiser HD800 S, and speaker setup: Teac VRDS 701 CDP/DAC/Pre-amp > Audioengine HD6 active speakers.

Anyway, that’s my initial "unscientific what my ears are hearing at the moment" assessment

I'll be keeping the Iris as I move it over to my old Teac UD-503 DAC/Headphone amp on my backup rig in another part of the house.

In case anybody wanted to know what the I/O's are....

For Comparisions, the Iris only has a USB input (besides the Clock input), and one AES output. No Optical / AES Input.