[BlakeT]

Hey @m-i-c-k-e-y !

Hope you are doing well. I've also read very good things about Audiobyte/Rockna and May as you mention. So many choices it can be overwhelming and unfortunately it is difficult if not impossible to try them side by side in your own system.

 

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

All is well Bro!...Yep many choices!

May you have a nice Christmas ahead of you!

 

[johnzz4]

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?

No, not at all. I took the 'Yggy A2 > Termi > Termi+ > Termi+ w/ Gaia' path. Distinct improvements with every step. The biggest step was the Yggy to the Termi, but Termi to Termi+ was another big step. The TOTL headphones really put everything under a microscope - and the Termi+ is the first DAC I've heard that is perfectly smooth with incredibly realistic timbre. I also listen to electronic music at 44.1k using Tidal, and the differences were obvious. Termi and Termi+ will both oversample at 32x for a 44.1k signal (unless in NOS mode of course).

All that said, I haven't heard the Holo and Rockna DACs, but have read great things.

 

[sajunky]

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.

A vintage type of R2R sound, isn't? Many things has changed... Ask them whether they have HE-7 2021 (8x PCM1704UK) or at least R7HE 2021 with a discrete ladder. The other models have also received 2021 upgrade, cost saving on one side (no longer benefiting from the digital interface device: DI-20) and other changes. One of important feature is that USB connection no longer require PLL reclocking, a local fixed frequency precise clock drives a ladder.

 

[Chrispb1]

The Terminator Plus and the Gaia are amazing together. Anyone deciding on an i2s cable should strongly consider the Tubulus Argentus. It’s still early, but I think the Wireworld platinum HDMI is going back. USB is much more holographic than AES into the Gaia, but this could be Aries G2 performing better via USB out (though Auralic says the AES is best). I’m excited to let everything continue to settle in, but I couldn’t happier with the Terminator Plus and Gaia combo. Smooth, detailed, engaging, limitless soundstage...

Aries G2 to Yggdrasil AES was better. However Aries G2 to both terminator and terminator plus, USB is best. I too am tempted to try I2s, but as I only stream, the Gaia is overkill on the inputs and price. I‘m hoping Denafrips or another brand offers a steamer to match the Aries with I2s out.

 

[BlakeT]

Aries G2 to Yggdrasil AES was better. However Aries G2 to both terminator and terminator plus, USB is best. I too am tempted to try I2s, but as I only stream, the Gaia is overkill on the inputs and price. I‘m hoping Denafrips or another brand offers a steamer to match the Aries with I2s out.

How about Denafrips Iris? I am very happy with the performance with mine into Venus 2 and I only stream in my headphone system. Sure, my TPlus/Gaia combo in my speaker system is better, but Iris is very reasonably priced.

 

[sajunky]

How about Denafrips Iris? I am very happy with the performance with mine into Venus 2 and I only stream in my headphone system. Sure, my TPlus/Gaia combo in my speaker system is better, but Iris is very reasonably priced.

Gaia is reported to sound much better, than Iris. I don't know a reason, reading specs it looks the same. Most of Denafrips DACs will benefit from a DDC, as only Terminator Plus give galvanic protection on the USB port. However it seems USB reclocking is still done on Denafrips DDC devices, while it could be avoided. This is USB feature that it is possible to synchronise USB speed with the clock of the receiver, no PLL is needed. In such scenario I2S output gives the lowest possible jitter. Denafrips specification says nothing about.

 

[johnzz4]

What filter does everyone primarily use? OS Fast, OS Slow, or NOS? I find OS fast to have the better tonality and greater dynamics, but OS slow seems to have a larger soundstage. I haven’t been exploring NOS much since I’m running 44.1K from Tidal and want to avoid the treble roll off.

 

[BlakeT]

What filter does everyone primarily use? OS Fast, OS Slow, or NOS? I find OS fast to have the better tonality and greater dynamics, but OS slow seems to have a larger soundstage. I haven’t been exploring NOS much since I’m running 44.1K from Tidal and want to avoid the treble roll off.

My favorite is OS Slow. I am a sound stage fanatic so the choice is easy for me.

 

[richardloh]

Hi John,

I uses only OS slow and why not the technology paid if available ?

Cheers.

Richard

 

[dcguy73]

I will soon join the T+ and Gaia crew. Alvin told me they're on their way.

 

[richardloh]

I will soon join the T+ crew. Alvin told me it's on its way.

not sure what you had or having but chance is that you will love it !

If also into cd, do consider the reasonably priced Avatar transport with philips cdm9 and sync it to T+'s ocxo clock which is the best what Denafrips can conjure ... more so than the gaia's oxco clock that will also benefit when synced in daisy chain manner ... like I did.

Enjoy !

 

[richardloh]

Gaia is reported to sound much better, than Iris. I don't know a reason, reading specs it looks the same. Most of Denafrips DACs will benefit from a DDC, as only Terminator Plus give galvanic protection on the USB port. However it seems USB reclocking is still done on Denafrips DDC devices, while it could be avoided. This is USB feature that it is possible to synchronise USB speed with the clock of the receiver, no PLL is needed. In such scenario I2S output gives the lowest possible jitter. Denafrips specification says nothing about.

Hi,

Gaia is with oxco clock and Iris is with Femto clock and not the same, right ?

Cheers.

 

[dcguy73]

not sure what you had or having but chance is that you will love it !

If also into cd, do consider the reasonably priced Avatar transport with philips cdm9 and sync it to T+'s ocxo clock which is the best what Denafrips can conjure ... more so than the gaia's oxco clock that will also benefit when synced in daisy chain manner ... like I did.

Enjoy !

I would consider getting a CD transport, but I sold the one I owned a few years ago because I wasn't using it regularly. Also, Denafrips no longer sells the Avatar. It can only be purchased through gray market sellers. Alvin suggested I look at Jay's CDT2 MK3, which is a big investment unless I am really going to make use of my CD collection.

 

[richardloh]

I would consider getting a CD transport, but I sold the one I owned a few years ago because I wasn't using it regularly. Also, Denafrips no longer sells the Avatar. It can only be purchased through gray market sellers. Alvin suggested I look at Jay's CDT2 MK3, which is a big investment unless I am really going to make use of my CD collection.

Hi dc,

Oops .. din know Avatar is no longer available. Grey mkt is fine, they also get them from Denafrips .. just via China distro network which of course Jay cannot support.

I sold my more expensive and almost new Jay's cdt2 mk3 at a big loss and replaced it with the Avator .... no regret and no contest by miles when Avatar is synced to the ocxo of T+

Think you need Jay's cdt3 with cdpro2lf and rubidium clock to beat Avator's cdm4 and T+'s oxco clock ... and this is only maybe since you will still be running 2 clocks of Rubidium and oxco and not a single oxco clock with least timing error imho.

Cheers.

Richard