The earliest will be middle of next week. Hopefully the cables are here by then.
New denafrips DDC (Iris and Gaia)
- Thread starter smodtactical
- Start date
Absolutely.
I still had an old 90's CD Player (Sony) around, that I tried as a transport into my Denafrips DACs, with and without DDC in between.
The very same CD would always sound worse via this CDP (connected via inferior TOSlink as the only digital out on that machine), compared to the ripped CD streamed locally via my Auralic Aries.
But that's the whole transport thing: Logical ones and zeros get transmitted in the "analog" domain with limited bandwidth, and bad things can happen.
It might also work out the other way 'round - a CD transport feeding a specific DAC/ DDC+DAC combo better than the streamer that sits next to it. It just wasn't the case in my collection of devices.
I've found I can tune components of my system by playing with different cables and power cords. I found my headphone amp was a tad too sibilant until I tried different XLR cables. Music from my CD player saw a boost in bass performance by changing its power cord, and SPDIF cable. Stuff like that.
Anyway, you make a fair argument here and one I can agree with
And BTW, again, I can't stress enough the difference between CD play and file playback is minimal, not blow away better, but "maybe" a tick better in micro-detail. If it was blow away better than I'd feel something was amiss with my system.
All good
I recently upgraded from the Iris to the Hermes and yes, there were improvements in sound quality. The music is clearer with more pronounced vocals, tighter bass, and cleaner treble. The biggest improvement I think though is in the midrange, making the overall music sound richer. The soundstage remains about the same, but the overall sound improvement may make the soundstage sound a little wider.
In comparing the Hermes to the Iris, I’ll use this comment from a review I saw comparing the Pontus to the Venus - the Pontus is good, but the Venus ups the game. This is the Hermes over the Iris – the Iris is good; the Hermes is better.
I also wanted to know if connecting a CD player directly to the Hermes would improve the sound quality, and well after numerous A/B tests, I simply couldn't tell a difference. BTW, the A/B configuration is as follows and remains now, it's just a matter of input selector from the Pontus, with the Hermes set to OPT (optical). Pontus Input button: I2S (CDP to Hermes via Toslink; Hermes to Pontus via I2S) or CD (CDP to Pontus via coaxial). No discernable difference noticed other than perhaps a "slight" bump in volume when running from the Hermes vs the Pontus.
Outside of that, there was no clear winner, and I would consider connecting to the Hermes more a matter of convenience rather than which one sounds better. Example of convenience – direct input selection on the Hermes, rather than cycling through the Input button on the Pontus.
BTW, the cables used...
- Lifatec Toslink Silflex Glass Optical Cable > Out from CDP to Hermes
- (old) Monster Toslink cable (awaiting another Lifatec cable) > In from Hermes to CDP
- Better Cable’s Silver Serpent AIR Coaxial Cable > Out from CDP to Pontus
- Better Cable’s Blue Truth ULTRA Audiophile Balanced XLR Cables > Out from Pontus to Artemis Headphone Amp
- Supra Excalibur USB cable > Out from PC to Hermes
- Supra HDMI cable > Out from Hermes to Pontus (I2S)
Has anyone attempted to upgrade GAIA with even better OCXOs?
Is it feasible without having proper soldering station?
Is it feasible without having proper soldering station?
CAJames
500+ Head-Fier
So I started with a Terminator2 to play CDs via AES/EBU and files (ranging for 16/44 to DSD256) via USB from a tweaked Windows laptop. The T2 was a big upgrade over my previous (pretty nice) digital and soon I acquired a GAIA (I would have preferred a Hermes, but they only come in black and I wanted silver). I also ordered BNC clock cables but they were hung up in the supply chain. I connect the GAIA to the T2 via I2S and listened for a couple weeks before the clock cables arrived, and both sources were a nice improvement in SQ with the GAIA over the T2 itself. Adding the clock sync was a further improvement, not big, but noticeable.
You have a nice setup, but far more than I need in expense and size. I also wanted something more "desktop" friendly, and though that didn't exactly happen, I'm satisfied...
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Honeypot
500+ Head-Fier
Hello 
I'm posting about an issue I’ve been experiencing for some time now, and honestly, I’m not sure where to categorize it. It’s a tricky problem, and I’m not very hopeful about getting a definitive solution, but here goes.
Background:
The issue started after I purchased the Denafrips Iris 12th Anniversary and upgraded the firmware on my Denafrips Pontus II. At the time, I was using a laptop as my source and initially thought it might be the culprit. However, the issue is intermittent, which has made it extremely difficult to diagnose.
What’s clear is that this problem did not occur before I added the Iris or updated the Pontus II firmware.
The Problem:
The issue manifests as a brief glitch—it lasts for just a split second but is enough to disrupt the listening experience. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds like a fast-forward effect or perhaps a jitter/clock-related anomaly. It’s subtle but frustrating, especially when it breaks the immersion during playback.
Here’s my setup:
Source: Laptop connected to the Iris via USB.
DDC to DAC Connection: Iris connected to the Pontus II via I²S (HDMI cable).
Amplifier: Tube amp connected to the Pontus II.
Attempted Troubleshooting:
I reached out to Denafrips, and their suggestion was to use two-core power cables (without ground) for both the DAC and DDC. They explained that this might help by eliminating ground potential differences, which could be causing the glitch. However, I have concerns about this approach.
Why?
Removing the ground could reduce the ability of the DAC and DDC to send RFI/EMI from their chassis and power supplies back to ground via the power cables. In other words, while it might solve the ground potential issue, it could introduce RFI/EMI-related noise into the system—a trade-off I find suboptimal.
Power Setup:
For context, my system includes high-quality power cables and a power strip designed for audio use. The power strip has:
4 filtered outlets (EFI/EMI reduction): For sensitive devices like the DDC, DAC, and CD player.
4 unfiltered outlets: For power-hungry devices like my OTC, OTL, and solid-state amps.
I’ve invested in this setup to minimize noise and optimize performance, so the idea of using ungrounded cables feels like a step backward. Even if I test this solution with cheaper cables, it doesn’t sit well with me as a permanent fix.
As I would be eliminating the jitter (perhaps) but EMI/EFI could arise.
Question:
Has anyone encountered a similar issue, or does anyone have suggestions for resolving this without introducing new problems? Ideally, I’d like a solution that avoids both the ground potential issue and the potential RFI/EMI complications from ungrounded cables.
Your insights would be greatly appreciate.
Thanks in advance
I'm posting about an issue I’ve been experiencing for some time now, and honestly, I’m not sure where to categorize it. It’s a tricky problem, and I’m not very hopeful about getting a definitive solution, but here goes.
Background:
The issue started after I purchased the Denafrips Iris 12th Anniversary and upgraded the firmware on my Denafrips Pontus II. At the time, I was using a laptop as my source and initially thought it might be the culprit. However, the issue is intermittent, which has made it extremely difficult to diagnose.
What’s clear is that this problem did not occur before I added the Iris or updated the Pontus II firmware.
The Problem:
The issue manifests as a brief glitch—it lasts for just a split second but is enough to disrupt the listening experience. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds like a fast-forward effect or perhaps a jitter/clock-related anomaly. It’s subtle but frustrating, especially when it breaks the immersion during playback.
Here’s my setup:
Source: Laptop connected to the Iris via USB.
DDC to DAC Connection: Iris connected to the Pontus II via I²S (HDMI cable).
Amplifier: Tube amp connected to the Pontus II.
Attempted Troubleshooting:
I reached out to Denafrips, and their suggestion was to use two-core power cables (without ground) for both the DAC and DDC. They explained that this might help by eliminating ground potential differences, which could be causing the glitch. However, I have concerns about this approach.
Why?
Removing the ground could reduce the ability of the DAC and DDC to send RFI/EMI from their chassis and power supplies back to ground via the power cables. In other words, while it might solve the ground potential issue, it could introduce RFI/EMI-related noise into the system—a trade-off I find suboptimal.
Power Setup:
For context, my system includes high-quality power cables and a power strip designed for audio use. The power strip has:
4 filtered outlets (EFI/EMI reduction): For sensitive devices like the DDC, DAC, and CD player.
4 unfiltered outlets: For power-hungry devices like my OTC, OTL, and solid-state amps.
I’ve invested in this setup to minimize noise and optimize performance, so the idea of using ungrounded cables feels like a step backward. Even if I test this solution with cheaper cables, it doesn’t sit well with me as a permanent fix.
As I would be eliminating the jitter (perhaps) but EMI/EFI could arise.
Question:
Has anyone encountered a similar issue, or does anyone have suggestions for resolving this without introducing new problems? Ideally, I’d like a solution that avoids both the ground potential issue and the potential RFI/EMI complications from ungrounded cables.
Your insights would be greatly appreciate.
Thanks in advance
I may be experiencing the same as you, but it didnt happen before I switched out a raspberry pi with a streamer. I does happen maybe one time during a 3 hour listening session, so it does not bother me a lot.
Setup: Auralic Aries LE, Iris, Pontus 2 12th, Sparkos Aries
Setup: Auralic Aries LE, Iris, Pontus 2 12th, Sparkos Aries
sajunky
Headphoneus Supremus
Crossposted original. See this response in the Pontus thread.
CAJames
500+ Head-Fier
I (very) occasionally get the issue listening to CDs via AES/EBU into my GAIA/T2 but never with USB. It got better with the firmware upgrade and doesn't really bother me either. The buffer overflow makes a lot of sense to me, though it seems like something that ought to be fixable.
What issue are you talking about? I get zero noise issues when playing CDs from my CD player.
What CD player do you have using an AES connection?
BTW, I had my CD player connected to my Hermes as opposed to the DAC but heard zero difference between the connecting to the DAC or Hermes using both Optical and coaxial cables. Anyway, I have my CD player connected directly to the Pontus 15th via Optical cable. Zero glitches (signal dropouts).
BTW, I had my CD player connected to my Hermes as opposed to the DAC but heard zero difference between the connecting to the DAC or Hermes using both Optical and coaxial cables. Anyway, I have my CD player connected directly to the Pontus 15th via Optical cable. Zero glitches (signal dropouts).
CAJames
500+ Head-Fier
Jay's CDT2-MK3
It's been a while but I'm pretty sure I didn't have glitches using optical or coax straight into the T2. But for me adding the GAIA and AES/EBU were both significant improvements and well worth the occasional glitch. JMO/YMMV and all that.
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