[stemiki]

DS is equivalent to "Delta Sigma" technology.

 

[sajunky]

I must say that I can't quite follow. What are DS DACs? Do you mean the PS Audio Directstream? I'm not planning to get that. YOu think R2R DACs decimate sound? You think THX decimates sound? Can you please elaborate? What are example of low-feedback HP amps?

Sorry, delta sigma = DS, others call it sigma-delta, no difference. It is a short term of creating a difference between samples and averaging the result. These converters always use oversampling and noise shaping using DSP technology. A lot of processing, but nothing strange, there are the most popular converters!

THX is essentially a nested loopback opamp design with a hudge open loop bandwith. When loop is closed it reduce distortions (THD) to the very low levels, so it looks well in measurements. A trade off is dark sound. My explanation is that during short periods of fast transients the amp reach saturation and stop conveying small signals which are always in music. And now it comes to what I wrote before. When connecting DS DAC, the user won't notice degradation of sound, as music is already decimated.

On the other side R2R converters like Terminator create a valid output sample every each clock cycle without decimation. In NOS mode no further DSP processing is required. The output reacts immediately, so fast transient need to be amplified accurately. Class A low feedback amplifiers all the time react to small changes, carrying properly all natural reverbations of acoustic instruments. These amps have higher distortions, but are more musical and more suitable for R2R DACs.

You asked for examples and unfortunately am not expert in a TOTL. I am using Audio GD R2R11, so I know A-GD amps better. There is a new amp A- 2 ($299) https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audio-gd-a-2-class-a-headphone-amp-pre.936297/ It is very powerful amp, good for difficult to drive headphones. Next is NFB-1AMP with some high-end features like digital volume control. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/audio-gd-nfb-1amp.21138/reviews
A real high-end start from Master series, I am less familiar with.

 

[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

 

[Vangelis]

Nearly ready to the purchase a Terminator Plus. I will wait to to purchase the Gaia until I’ve confirmed that the Terminator Plus out performs my current DAC on its own merits. There’s a lot of passion out there about this DAC. My only reservation is concerns about no US servicing available. Any thoughts on my service and concern would be helpful.

 

[Thenewguy007]

Nearly ready to the purchase a Terminator Plus. I will wait to to purchase the Gaia until I’ve confirmed that the Terminator Plus out performs my current DAC on its own merits. There’s a lot of passion out there about this DAC. My only reservation is concerns about no US servicing available. Any thoughts on my service and concern would be helpful.

I never seen a owner of a Denafrips DAC need it to be repair & the Terminator has been out for nearly 4+ years?

 

[richardloh]

Hi All,

Got weak and received the Antipodes CX to pair with the Antipodes EX .. my system never sounded better. It like getting superior sounding nite session during the day time and nite session is that you can follow every intonation and beat however fast the music is.

Could not resist and tried again connecting the Antipodes stack to the denafrips ddc but compared to direct usb to the TP, it sounds compressed and slowed down with loss of details ...

Same conclusion then that if your usb source is beyond something like allo usb bridge signature, going via denafrips ddc to take advantage of single synced better ocxo clock in the TP and even preferred i2s route, you may not hear improvement but deterioration.

It also tell me thst TP's usb input is excellent and does not hold back your usb source.

Cheers.

Richard

 

[BlakeT]

Nearly ready to the purchase a Terminator Plus. I will wait to to purchase the Gaia until I’ve confirmed that the Terminator Plus out performs my current DAC on its own merits. There’s a lot of passion out there about this DAC. My only reservation is concerns about no US servicing available. Any thoughts on my service and concern would be helpful.

Just one data point here... I don't know that I have read of any other Denafrips product failures from other users, but I did have an issue with my Gaia as it stopped working. I posted a comment in an online forum that I was seeming to have a problem. Alvin of Vinshine saw my post and he emailed me, before I even had to contact him. He asked me to ship it back and he ordered a replacement unit to be sent.

 

[Flextreme]

I want to start dipping my toes into an end-game headphone set-up. (I quit my Naim/Harbeth hobby, I enjoy headphones so much more)

I mostly listen to 44.1/16 electronic/modern music on Tidal. (Radiohead, Fink, Nils Frahm, Sohn, Jamie Woon, and melodic techno like Ben Böhmer, Maribou, Adriatique or Einmusik)

I care about soundstage (the bigger the better), detail/resolution and PraT. I do not care that much about Tidals MQA or the DSD, the music I love can hardly be found in high-res format.

Right now, my Topping D90 DAC seems the biggest bottleneck. Is the move to Terminator Plus overkill? Or should I focus on less expensive options? Or should I start with upgrading my headphone (Susvara or the HE-R10 planar).

I'm stuck right now, I do not know what upgrade path would make most sense. My gut feeling is the Terminator plus would be the best first step in finding true end game, but am worried the Plus is simply too much for 44.1/16 music.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

DACs are to Record Cartridges. The better they are, the better will be its information retrieval (generally speaking) .

Based on your sig., for me I`ll just add a Digital Interface (say a Singxer SU-6) in between your PC/USB Purifier and your DAC via Hdmi I2S. About HP, don't know. If your happy with it why change. Best thing is...ENJOY the equipment (uh sorry) music.

If you care about soundstage, resolution and PRaT as you said, make Audiobyte Hydra Vox DAC (or its cousin Rockna Wavelight) in your short list.
Soundnews Review: YT Link , Written

 

[Flextreme]

DACs are to Record Cartridges. The better they are, the better will be its information retrieval (generally speaking) .

Based on your sig., for me I`ll just add a Digital Interface (say a Singxer SU-6) in between your PC/USB Purifier and your DAC via Hdmi I2S. About HP, don't know. If your happy with it why change. Best thing is...ENJOY the equipment (uh sorry) music.

If you care about soundstage, resolution and PRaT as you said, make Audiobyte Hydra Vox DAC (or its cousin Rockna Wavelight) in your short list.
Soundnews Review: YT Link , Written

Thanks, reason I'm looking at r2r is because I tried the Musician Pegasus, after that I really appreciate/understand the analogue and soundstage character of r2r, the D90 is shouty, almost harsh and 2D in comparison. Terminator Plus seems so tempting because it seems to have it all.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Was tempted by Termy too. But its too large for me for desktop use. Magna Hifi at Alkmaar carries Holo Audio why not try out a Holo May.

 

[BlakeT]

@Flextreme I listen generally to the same music genres as you do. I value a natural "organic" sound, but with all the resolution, clarity and detail and sound staging that is possible from the recording. I also like body and three dimensionality. As a side note, with respect to redbook vs hirez music content, I personally think hi rez is mostly a marketing gimmick and does not factor in anyway to a decision to purchase higher level gear.

I detest bright, hard, thin, sound, but at the same time I also don't like anything rolled off or too warm.

My Terminator Plus is "end game" for me. It is a very significant step up (in audiophile terms) from DAC's in the $2,000-$3,000 range. For example, it left my former Yggy A2 in the dust. It was also a clear improvement over my regular Terminator (which is also a better DAC than Yggy A2- not a knock on Yggy A2 as I really enjoyed mine and for many it can be 'end game'). Of course, your other associated gear should also be of very good quality to take advantage of all of the performance Terminator Plus is capable of providing.

If you go with the Terminator Plus, at some point down the road you should consider taking advantage of the clock out feature of the Terminator Plus to an upstream connected DDC. It turbo charges resolution/clarity/sound staging. It makes things super holographic.

 

[Flextreme]

Was tempted by Termy too. But its too large for me for desktop use. Magna Hifi at Alkmaar carries Holo Audio why not try out a Holo May.

I was thinking myself the same, they also carry TOTL audio-gd and Matrix X sabre pro. So that would be nice to compare.

Currently trying my trusty old Naim dac with 2x mono Burr-Brown PCM1704K DAC chips and external TeddyCAP XPS PSU. Love its sound, way more musical than my D90, but lacking in resolution and transient response, the D90 is so much faster.

Going back to my original question: are these TOTL Denafrips, Hydra and Holo overkill for my music taste and mostly red book usage?

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Think Blake gave you the idea (not overkill)...

 

[Flextreme]

@Flextreme I listen generally to the same music genres as you do. I value a natural "organic" sound, but with all the resolution, clarity and detail and sound staging that is possible from the recording. I also like body and three dimensionality. As a side note, with respect to redbook vs hirez music content, I personally think hi rez is mostly a marketing gimmick and does not factor in anyway to a decision to purchase higher level gear.

I detest bright, hard, thin, sound, but at the same time I also don't like anything rolled off or too warm.

My Terminator Plus is "end game" for me. It is a very significant step up (in audiophile terms) from DAC's in the $2,000-$3,000 range. For example, it left my former Yggy A2 in the dust. It was also a clear improvement over my regular Terminator. Of course, your other associated gear should also be of very good quality to take advantage of all of the performance Terminator Plus is capable of providing.

If you go with the Terminator Plus, at some point down the road you should consider taking advantage of the clock out feature of the Terminator Plus to an upstream connected DDC. It turbo charges resolution/clarity/sound staging. It makes things super holographic.

Thank you! You just answered my main concern.

I do not fully understand the value reclocking/DCC until now, but I realized after reading this thread, and what you guys suggested it is a highly recommended step up.