Denafrips Ares II DAC Review. A different kind of review...
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- Denafrips Ares 2 (not an affiliate link): www.vinshineau...
Discord Link: / discord
Quoted Reviewers:
Darko Audio: • The Denafrips Ares II ...
A British Audiophile: • Denafrips Ares II DAC ...
Thomas & Stereo: • Denafrips Ares II DAC ...
Jay's iyagi: • The Best DAC Award - D...
Cheapaudioman: • Denafrips Ares 2 DAC R...
MidFi Guy: • ARES II vs D90 vs Bifr...
Steve Guttenberg Audiophilliac: • Denafrips game changin...
Passion for Sound: • Denafrips Ares II R2R ...
Preamp & Power Amplifiers
Kinki Studio EX-P7: www.kinki-stud...
Kinki Studio EX-B7 mono blocks: www.kinki-stud...
Speakers used during this review:
Focal Aria 906- www.focal.com/...
Buchardt S400 MKII- buchardtaudio....
Source: Bluesound Node 2i
www.crutchfiel...
(all music is hi-res streamed from Tidal)
Speaker & Power Cables: Maze Audio Ref4
www.mazeaudio.c...
RCA Cables: Analysis Plus Oval One
analysis.plus/...
XLR Cables: Oyaide Tunami Terzo XX V2
www.shoppingin...
Your results may vary based on your ears, room, and associated equipment:
***Corrections & Updates***
The Pontus is actually only $1750, I mistakenly said it was $1800 to $2000.
Definitely
I have owned this DAC for over a year and love it. I switch between vinyl and the Ares 2 and it allows me to not miss vinyl too much when I just want ease of use. Cheers
I literally teared up when I first plugged in the Ares II into my system. A year and a half later I bought the Pontus II. Just beautiful music. Nothing changed the quality of my system (except for my Magnepans) like these DACs. And these DACs make the Maggies sing like I never heard before.
I have the MG3.6Rs that I have owned for over twenty years and had the same experience with the ARES II.
God bless, what a beautiful experience!
@@lexicon612 dude I had my name way before that babbling idiot took office. Your emotional well being and feelings in general are not my responsibility so yes feel free to "moving on" but don't forget, presidents change often while Nemo Propaganda is eternal. And next time maybe think twice before you treat a stranger poorly and then end your disrespectful mess of a comment with "god bless" like that makes you a decent human being, it doesn't, it makes you a hypocrite at minimum.
@@lexicon612 thank you for the amp compliment, I can afford a lot of things so no need to worry, this channel won't be replacing my career anytime soon. You're the one alienating people, not me. You choose to be offended by a screen name, you have to realize how silly that is. What is your expectation for a solution? You want me to change my youtube name just for? Seriously, what do you expect here?
Maggie's lover here. You're killing me
I liked your approach to this review. Great work pulling the communities’ thoughts together into a common emotional response theme.
I have had mine for 2 days now, amazing customer service and I received mine in less than a week. I did the same and watched all the reviews and I have to agree it was the emotional response by the reviewers that really stuck with me, after watching Randy's video I was convinced I was making a "sound" decision!
sound decision 🤣
Really nice review (of reviews): good explanation why some things are great - in inspiring an emotive response - yet difficult to describe why; and neat reflection on reviewers' unrehearsed comments - perhaps particularly persuasive. Keep up the good work!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Greate review and now new subscriber :) I have a Roksan Xerxes SME IV and EAT Jo No5, a killer analogue front end. Never been a digital fan, could never sit down and listen seriously, so cold clinical and lacking in realism. On the back of reviews you have gone through i went for a second hand Ares II. Initially i wondered what the fuss was about but after a burn in period of a week it floored me. I have now upgraded to Venus II and Hermes DDC fed by SoTM SMS 200 Ultra and Intel NUC for ROON. My turntable is no longer used and i NEVER thought that would ever happen. I have had to eat humble pie over my previous comments about digital audio.
Hey Andrew, that's awesome, you can save some space now :D
Great review! Love this thing
Strongly agree my bro!
Great review Nemo. Funnily enough, you covered every single reviewer I like to follow. But it's nice to hear your take on their quotes. Very interesting and useful format. Especially on something like this that has been reviewed numerous times. Cheers from France!
Much appreciated!
Great video!! I think you are onto something with this format. I always thought responding to other reviewers thoughts on products would be a winner.
It’s like the audiophile version of “Talk Soup.”
:)
Well done.
Hey Matty!! Thank's for the feedback, I might roll with this for a bit and see what happens, it was a lot more of an enjoyable process for me to make the video this way :D
Well, after researching DAC's for a while I ended up ordering the Denafrips Venus II, (2 steps above the Ares II) so I can say it's the last DAC I will ever own. You comments about their entry level DAC has me giddy with anticipation! Thanks for this review.
Nice purchase brother! Hopefully it arrives soon!
Same here. Had the Ares II for a few weeks and loved it so much I just had to have more of it. Got a Venus II and don't think I'll ever part with it.
Lovely review. You put to words what I think about all these. Sold Bifrost (lovely dac). Now I have RME in the bedroom...but ARES II in the living room. But your lack of gushing about "warm" and "emotional" etc is absolutely spot-on.
love your name lol
I recently bought the Ares II and am very satisfied. I like your videos. I bought an SVS sub after hearing your opinion and I'm happy
Right on!
To me also ares II was the biggest upgrade to my system and my system is 6000€ STAX. When i did go from sennheiser hd58x to hd 800 was not that big of a change. This DAC truly makes your soundstage 3D, natural and HUGE like you are really in there with the players.
Yep, the 'emotionally engaging" Ares2 that is "difficult to describe" was my gateway drug into Denafrips world - now very very happy with the Pontus 2 and Iris DDC....
I wouldn't mind a Pontus but I don't have any room for it lol
Excellent format. Thanks.
Can’t wait for mine to come off backorder now! Sounds like it will be worth the wait.
you are correct about this DAC pulling an emotional response!
I just had a listing session with my wife and had her listen to 3 different DACS..
DA1 in my McIntosh C2600
Denafrips Ares ii
Topping D90SE
Her were very similar to mine. This is first time ever trying to critique my system. She found the
Topping D90SE to be dry with no depth
Denafrips Ares ii to be most organic, romantic and pulling your emotions into the music
DA1 McIntosh slightly forward and best suited for music that you want to have fun with...
Looks like im returning the Topping.
Im impressed with her because this is the first time she was able to critically listen to the changes in music based on gear... she now gets the audiophile hobby... im so happy 😊
Love the Ares ii
you're a lucky man!
This was an inspirational comment
Awesome Idea, thank you! Another lovely quote from Tarun: "I might think that the Ares II is the best thing since sliced bread"
Congratulatuons, you are 100th youtube reviwer with one year in hifi, Buchardt speakers, , amplifier purchase based on another youtube reviewer, and review about Denafrips f... Dac.
Sorry I don't understand?
I know this is an old review, but I just wanted to give you a shout out. You haven’t steered me wrong, yet. I picked up a Rythmik G22 after a watching your video and when I saw your thoughts on the Ares, I stopped looking at more expensive DAC’s.
I ended up finding a good deal on the latest version of the Ares and it just showed up today. Best digital playback I’ve had so far and, you’re right, it’s plenty good enough for me to enjoy my music and it was 1/3 of the price of the DAC I was looking at.
Now, I’ve been fighting buying a power cord, but the one that comes with it is just as the distributor Allen says in his videos. It’s a basic power cord and it feels barely adequate to be safe 😂. I do think I’ll be replacing it asap.
Sorry for the long message, but thank you again and I look forward to more videos. 👊🙏
I appreciate the kind word!
I have to agree with you about tone, that is why I skipped the other DACs you mentioned and went straight to a Denafrips Pontus II, and I could not be happier. It now sounds like my turntable setup. When I first plugged it in, I could hear the difference immediately over every other DAC I have had, and that was from the Kitchen as I was making myself a Tea as I warmed the DAC up.
Steve and Herb in their last video said an upgrade isn't worth it if the the change is not immediately apparent. This one was.
I love that, moments like that are what make this hobby so awesome! I remember the first time I realized with my new preamp I wasn't turning the volume up as much, I was so happy, the difference was so enjoyable to have such dynamics at low volumes.
I love that the reviewers I follow and trust the most are the ones you quoted. Love the change of format for this.
glad it worked out that way :)
Great review. I own this, but not gonna be bias about it, it got its flaws but too many pros that i didnt even care about the cons. 1. Size, anyone can use this on their setup. 2. Price, may be affordable to many. 3. SOUND, you dont feel anything is lacking when all it does is making any system sounds good and enjoyable, you'll totally drawn to it and forget what is missing, even if there is for you, it is so natural and relaxing sound, what can you ask for more?. 4. It can definitely be end for DAC hunt, because the next step will be double the price and double the size FOR SURE. there are not many can accommodate such size and price. 5. Built quality is incredible, strudy, substantial and most are quality if not high-end parts put together. 6. Is simplistic and straightforward, no fancy screen or function. Cons, perhaps a better design on separating the RCA and XLR output channel, and some LED around the power button (that's just my aesthetically nitpicking), is really hard to find more flaws tbh.
Honestly the size was a really big factor for me as my rack is at maximum capacity, if it was any larger I would not have bought it because I would need a new rack.
I have this dac and i’m so happy. It give my music a real relief, i listen my music with so joy now!
Hey brother I totally agree, that is a perfect way to describe it, it's really enjoyable :)
Finally ordered my ares 2 this past week. Thanks for this brother, appreciate you
hell yeah brother, I am super happy for you!!!
@@NemoPropaganda 🙏
I like your novel approach to this review! Bravo! I’m still enjoying my Ares II. At some point I may upgrade to a Pontus or Terminator, but for now, I’m standing pat. Enjoy your AresII!
Hey dude!!! You were one of the first guys I saw talk about the Ares!! Loved your vid man.
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks 🙏 . I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Alvin was correct in suggesting the Pontus II . It is worth the upgrade from the Ares II.
I have Pontus2 in for review now, we will find out :D
Yes but not a blanket statement. Pontus will do jack all if the rest of the chain is 1000 bucks. Ares will do just fine. If you get to 3000+ range in quality for speakers the Pontus begins to make sense.
@@morespinach9832 I agree with your statement. But reviewers system was 15k+. I see there will also be a review of the Pontus. Looking forward to that.
@@NemoPropaganda looking forward to that. Thanks.
A very interesting and original approach to reviews. Loved it.
Thank's Shun, this is how I will review most popular items from now on :D
I love the passion you have for audio. Great video.
you gotta love it :)
Thank you for the review. I’d really like to try this but bought an all-in-one amp/streamer/dac so that products like this wouldn’t temp me. LOL
Hey billy, nothing wrong with that logic! Plenty of all in one's get the job done just fine and can sound excellent!
Thank you so much for this video. Pulling all of the other reviews into your own was a stroke of genius, so much so, I just ordered one😜, now the waiting…
Woooo! Hell yeah brother that's what I'm talking about :D
A year ago I purchased a Marantz 30N SACD. It is my streamer, DAC (Burr-Brown chipset with a proprietary DSD conversion before implementation) and versatile disc transport. I am not changing that any time soon and getting involved in the DAC chase, as I am enjoying the music from my system, for now.
I WAS pleased to hear you mentioning the reviewers that I also go to often, though…with a cautious curiosity…for info.
This pursuit is fun, interesting and occasionally frustrating…which is what makes it rewarding "at times". 😁
Thanks for your enthusiasm! 👍🏼
i love Burr-Brown DACS, would like to find a stand alone DAC that uses them since i have a streamer. ifi Zen Stream? Naim V1?
@@xstensl8823 I would love to have the luxury of being able to compare what I am listening to with the Ares!
…speaking of…does Nemo mention his source(s) that he is using for his listening?
nothing wrong with that, Zero Fidelity is a huge fan of the internal DAC on his CD player, that's why he never reviews DAC's, he likes the one he has and as a result simply has no interest in anything else. It's a great place to be in the audio journey. There will always be some guy with a faster car, but as long as you enjoy driving your car life is good!
I own and have lived with the Schiit Bifrost 2 for almost 2 years so I am truly familiar with its particular sound. It has a crisp, clear and open presentation that can be quite palpable at times with music and video. With all the favorable reviews of the Ares II I decided to purchase the unit thinking I would replace my Bifrost. Well, that didn't go as planned. I found the Ares ll great for long listening sessions and yes it's smooth and analog like. What I found lacking in particular was in the treble region..no clarity or openness like the Bifrost. It was especially noticeable with videos which allow the recording to come alive or fleshed out or in other words lacking air. My two cents!
hey Distro nothing wrong with that, we all have different rooms and ears so it's wonderful that we have all these options at reasonable prices! For my my separates already give me tons of detail so what I needed was that tonal richness of the ares!
Nemo, good answer, I just think the Ares is over rated.
@@DistroUser it totally might be for your usage case. Like your system or room may have already been a bit down on detail, I'm sure you know some rooms can over dampen the sound and suck out some dynamics and detail, and perhaps you already had good tonal character so then of course something like the Bifrost or D90 makes a lot of sense for you :D. Like my room has really strong bass so I don't mind a product that may reduce some bass since I have plenty to spare lol, but for some people it's the opposite. Part of the struggle with this hobby is we can't see the sound or touch the sound so it's really hard to truly know what's really going on. Even with measurements and all that jazz it just never tells the whole story. That's why I say at the end of the day fuck everything and just do what makes your system sound good even if it's contrary to what other people say :). Like I don't use XLR, everyone tells me I should use XLR but I always said it sounded the same, and then years later I talk to the people that made my amp and they're like "yeah it sounds the same and is just there as an option" so I try and remember truths are not created by consensus and it's always best to have your own experience.
@@NemoPropaganda Hell, I could not even use the optical connection for video to the TV...where the Schiit and other DAC's have no problem.
@@DistroUser you mean optical for audio from the TV?
Hi, you successfully made what I thought would have been impossible: make your review “different” from the others while actually quoting the others!
Well done
The emotional reaction to Ares II from all of these guys is exactly what made me decide to buy one more than two years ago. They had never had it with other products or at least not to the same extent and not all of them unconditionally.
My problem? After two years I still cannot relate to it. Yes I can listen to it for hours without any listening fatigue, but the lack of details compared to my vintage Linn Numerik (+Karik CD transport) is still something I cannot completely accept.
And as all these reviews kept popping up, I kept asking what’s wrong with me or my system.
I still don’t know the answer.
But it’s worth mentioning though that I’ve only been listening to Ares on my STAX headphones as I had to give up my listening room because of pandemic and consequent remote work+school for kids.
So no chance to really appreciate holography, soundstage, etc.
This is changing soon as I’m setting up a new room after summer, so I’ll finally figure it out.
glad you enjoyed it bro, yeah for headphone use I can't really comment because I don't use headphones but I know it's a very different experience. Did you try using the DAC in OS mode? Boston Audiophile made a short video that might help: czcams.com/video/-5vENPkk1DI/video.html
Great idea to review by quoting all those other channels. I feel the same about Randys cheapaudioman review of the Ares ii.
His genuinely impassioned statements about the ares sold me on the idea of blindly buying one some day.
That midfiguy did awesome work too. And I also caught that statement he casually made about.. "the ares is the one I'm 100% keeping. "
I like how you point out the revealing "tells" in some of these videos because I catch them a lot when watching reviews - and it's not always the positive "tells" but the not so positive as well. You'd probably enjoy poker if you don't already play.
ooo gambling is not for me bro, I'm ashamed to admit it but I am a very sore loser when it comes to gambling losses. Like I can drop $100 out of my pocket and I'm not too upset about it but losing just $5 on a hand makes me rage lol.
I moved over from a Schiit Modi Multibit ( also R2R) to the Ares 2. From the moment I plugged the Ares 2 in I was sold.
I experimented a bit with the differences in sound between the TOS and USB input and I've ended up using the USB port as input. I added a USB galvanic isolation component at the Ares 2 USB input to get a cleaner signal into the DAC Galvanic isolation is not needed when using TOS but on the USB ( electrical ) port it's a real improvement .
Nice! I was lazy and just plugged in coax and never looked back :)
Just confirming what I already believed…I need this in my life, lol. Thanks man
Hey Nemo ,your presentation has improved so much & Very well covered Vid ..👍
Hey Anand, thank you!
Appreciate your reviewing this DAC. I recently decided I wanted to add a stand alone DAC to my system. I currently do not stream music but want to at some point. After a bit of research I decided to purchase the Geshelli J2 at $250. I like it. Rather than seek out a better DAC, I just ordered a Frenzel tube preamp ($586 on sale) and am looking forward to incorporating some tubes into the system. Streamer will be the next purchase unless something really special comes up locally.
I'm also using the Geshelli j2 dac. I love it for the money. Maybe someday I'll upgrade.
That sounds perfectly logical to me! There's plenty of ways to get great sound and we should all be mindful on where we spend our money. For me it was the DAC but I wouldn't do a DAC first if I felt the money was better spent on a preamp. I used my internal dac for many years even with my system well over $10k.
@@seanoreilly8603 I agree the J2 DAC is a great value and I will be fine with it for the time being and hopefully we'll into the future
Like the format 👍
Great idea bro, tackling the review in a great way. I have a d90 and feel the same as you, my system needs more natural vinyl like love. Pontus 2 is my next item for sure. Thanks for reaffirming my beliefs and giving me confidence on this. 🙏
Thank's Bro! Should I review the Pontus? I'm kind of torn, I love the Ares, I'm worried the Pontus will spoil me too much lol.
@@NemoPropaganda review the Venus 2 if you can bro, apparently it’s liken to the signature of the original terminator but for much less $$$$. There are also less reviews of the Venus
@@robk5745 okay, I'll chat with Alvin and see what he thinks but I must be honest here, I'm not sure I have the experience to review the Venus.
@@NemoPropaganda you can do it bro, it won’t be as obvious as headphone guys, but it’ll be nice to hear a speaker guy review it not all headphone guys
@Nemo Propaganda , I think you should consider reviewing Pontus and Venus. If you can't hear a clear difference in your speaker system, and that is your honest assessment, it would be helpful for us, average audiophiles, in order to decide if the improvement worth the dollars. By the way, my new Pontus 2 should arrive to my place next week. I can't wait!.
Super review of the reviews! Pontus has 2X the resistor banks.I understand from BA it provides additional detail/refinement. Trying to decide on ares vs pontus. Chip dacs can not achieve the analog - like warmth of resistors.They all have a kind of sterility to the sound.(although Chord has overcome this somewhat)
I had the Ares2 for a few weeks and quickly upgraded to the Pontus2. It is SO much better. Don't hesitate on the Pontus 2 because it is likely you buy it soon after listening to the Ares2. I think it is at least two times better and you seldom ever get that kind of improvement in hifi.
@@davidyan5502 OK Thank You David.
Pontus2 will be reviewed in the next 60 days or so but it sounds like you have an answer from David :)
@@NemoPropaganda Hi Nemo:.I will wait for your review. Pontus is 2x the $$.BA says it matters IF your other components are of high quality capable of revealing the difference.I believe a resistor dacs would further enhance the musicality of a quality tube system.
I think we sing from the same hymn sheet. I’m a purest, a ‘set and forget’ audiophile. My gear is not dissimilar to yours. A few years ago, I upgraded my British integrated amp to the Kinki preamp and monoblocks. Initially I was very impressed. But as I accumulated more and more listening hours I found the sound signature to be too lean, analytical, non fluid, staccato even. Not to my taste. Alvin at Vinshine told that what I was hearing was the Kinki sound signature and suggested I swap the Kinki preamp for a Denafrips preamp, inject more body, more tonality into the mix. His advice turned out to be good.
A few months ago, I decided to upgrade my $800 multi award winning Delta Sigma DAC. Alvin steered me toward the Denafrips Venus. I took his advice and purchased it. I expected a night and day difference. There wasn’t. Not even dusk and dawn. But there was a subtle difference. The Venus sounded more natural, more analog, more emotionally involving. I guess, if I had stuck with the Kinki preamp monoblocks combo, the addition of the Denafrips Venus would have had a greater impact!
Great video by the way.
Hey Howard, you are correct! The Kinki sound is mostly neutral and can sometimes come across as lacking emotion which is one area that makes it perfect for review equipment. I also prefer the more neutral sound with excellent refinement that Kinki offers because I can tune it further to my own liking. I like a little warmth/body but not too much. DAC upgrades are interesting, I too find them to be more nuance but some people feel they are night/day differences. The biggest difference I notice is when I try to go back to the cheaper DAC I was using before and it's suddenly become unlistenable. I had the same experience with OLED, at first I did not see a massive difference until I turned on a LED TV I had in another room and was shocked by awful contrast and washed out blacks, mind you this was a higher end LED TV. Anyway, sounds like you're enjoying the hobby and that's the most important thing :)
Television is not my forte. The wife is the tv addict in our household. She despises my hifi system. So, after I had spent thousands on upgrading my hifi, I decided to update our viewing facilities. I replaced our 7 year old 58 inch IPS tv with a premium 65 inch OLED from the same A-brand manufacturer. The difference in picture was, stunning. My one regret, I wish I had bought bigger. The largest OLED in that manufacturers range was a 77 inch. So, when I started seeing rave reviews of a 98 inch QLED, I took the plunge and purchased it. The OLED wins out on displaying fine details, but the impact of the brighter, larger QLED can’t be ignored. If you were unable to make a side by side comparison, I doubt you’d notice that lack of fine detail on the QLED. That 65 inch OLED has been relegated to our bedroom. The wife has always maintained that size matters in the bedroom!
Oh, that 98 inch QLED cost less than the 65 OLED would have done.
🍻👍
That should have read ‘cost less than that 77 inch OLED would have done’.
@@howardskeivys4184 I actually don't care for screen brightness or detail too much, I'm more into contrast and good dark scene performance. You have to have the right size in the living room, I too originally had a 65" in my alcove, after some measuring I learned I could fit a 77" with about .75" clearance on either side of the wall it would be sunk into and got the 77". Wish I could fit something bigger but its one of the curses of my modern home. Love the humor by the way... Too many guys in this hobby are full time serious.
@@NemoPropaganda 👍🍻
you bought this based on reviews with no 30 day return policy after not hearing it. brave man. all in all everything is subjective. i have stumbled upon some dark horses that sound very good but never get any press. but i would like to hear a Denafrips sometime. SGN is locked down or i would fly in a heartbeat. no retailer where i live.
oh yeah, I've bought my whole system like that, always just randomly without any demo, my preamp, my mono blocks, speakers, subwoofer, all blind purchases. But it's something I've always been comfortable with. I don't mind losing because I view it as part of the process but I've been really lucky so far.
@@NemoPropaganda there is another outfit called Shenzen Audio that will offer a 30 day return on anything Denafrips.
i ended up buy one, it is fantastic
I don't have the denafrips but I really like your unique presentation.
Thank's Rory, I appreciate you tuning in.
Interesting style of review...thanks.
hope you enjoyed it :)
I’ve read or listened to all the reviews (probably including the one you don’t like), and I think it’s time to upgrade from my MSB Link III. Thanks! I subscribed! 👍
Must be a great dac if it served you this long :). Happy to hear you're enjoying the vids Stuart!
A review of reviewer responses. So what will you say at the end? Alvin was right about the Pontus for you. I sold my Ares 2 last Jan after 30 days
of listening. Has some sibilance that goes away at the next level. Your review was different than all the others in terms of pronunciation of the product.
I noticed halfway through i was saying it like dayna-frips oh well, it's close enough. I'll probably review the Pontus also, I'm super curious now!
Nailed it dude. I was the same thinking about the Pontus but I’m satisfied. 👍
Same, I have an oppertunity to review the Pontus but I'm not sure I want to do it lol, I'm happy, I kind of want to leave it that way lol.
@@NemoPropaganda Alright brother, Randy said on our zoom meeting last night you had the Pontus😊 Is it worth the price of admission?
I have the Ares II, and I love it - but to anyone looking for the Ares 'sound' but cheaper, and actually much more resolving and dynamic - look at the SMSL D300:)
wow! thats an overstatement... i'm between ares ii/draco/d1se/d300... tharbamar likes d300 very much but iwii reviews said its good but not on par with more expensive dacs... please tell me something...is d300 bass shy and anemic? thanks in advance!
@@subcoded I own both DACs, and I don't think I've overstated anything... The D300 is not on par with most DACs over $1000, that's true. Under a $1000 I think it's one of the best, in terms of tonality it's certainly one of the best DACs out there right now. It does the 'R2R' Sound' better than my Ares II, in that regard it reminds me a lot of my Audio GD R1. Bass is not shy or anemic, but it's not quite one the same level as maybe a D1SE, but bass on the D300 is tighter and more defined than on the Ares II. The D300 is one of those rare DACs that delivers far more than what the pricetag would suggest.
@@decoryder Thank you very much for your reply! I've just ordered a d300 and can't wait for it to arrive 🤓... regarding the price, of course it can't compete with dacs costing over $1000, BUT Ares II and musician draco in europe cost Double the money of d300! So its overachievement if d300 sound better that those r2r dacs...
@@subcoded I love the Ares II, but one thing that always bothered me is that it sounds 'thick' - there's a compression effect in the midrange, and I can not stand that. The D300 has better tonality and timbre outright, while the Ares II does maybe better with string instruments, where that 'thickness' is a plus. It depends on system matching too - if you have a very revealing system, try the slow filter, and turn off HPC mode - the DAC will become 'smoother', at the expense of some high treble resolution. Myself, I prefer to run it with the fast filter, and the HPC mode on. Like any new DAC, give it a few days and let it run before you do any critical listening. I have many DACs, and two D300's - I can't make a higher endorsement than that:) The D300 is stupid good, at any price. I have no clue if it's a function of that ROHM chip, the analog output stage, the new low-noise 12V power supply they used - or a combination of all of the above - but this is one of the few DACs where they just got it right.
@@decoryder Interesting information! Thank you very much my friend! My system is analytical but in a good way...airy treble with very high extension BUT never harsh! My current dacs are Pioneer N-50A Dac/Streamer (old ess chip) and a Zen Dac V2 (Burr Brown Chip)...Pioneer has more bass grunt and low frequency extension but the mids are recessed and treble sometimes is dry and fatiguing unless i turn on the oversampling at the expense of loosing bass timing and punchiness... On the other hand zen dac is just ok...nothing special but nothing wrong either...the stronger part of zen dac is the nice mids... So i decided to purchase d300 for an upgrade to my sound...after some reviews and your thoughts, i think is a good choice... i will test it when it arrives and i will tell you my impressions...thank you very much for your valuable opinion!
I don't see myself going down the DAC rabbit hole, but if I had to build a new system, I would probably build around this Ares DAC for peace of mind. It's a flavor everyone seems to enjoy. I can't say it's a flavor I'll enjoy, but then again, there many who like ketchup on eggs and steaks.
I did once put peanut butter on eggs, it was actually really good!! I hear ya though, I'm not going down a rabbit hole either, i picked my dac and I got it, maybe i'll check out Pontus too but I'm not really interested in anything else.
I love the Aries2 in my system. Roon Nucelus > Aries 2> Primaluna Evo300> MonitorAudio Silver 500. Done!
Like the format for the video
Thank you dude!! Might use a similar format for the Buchardt A500.
O think your system being a high Fi this DAC is a good addition to your everyday listening,
When you listen through true high end gear/ speakers then things become more apparent into qualities and shortcomings
"I'm not going to show you any pictures of the Ares II." Sits in front of a screen displaying a picture of it.
no pics fam
@@NemoPropaganda What is that on the screen behind you Bro?
@@johnratcliffe6438 it's just a huge dac
The most holographic system I have had so far had an extremely modest dac, the Emotiva XDA2. What made it holographic was I had modified magnepans with absolutely gigantic diffusers behind them with 11 inch depth that scattered to very low frequency, and skyline diffusers on the walls in front of them. More than holographic, more like sitting on a stool with a guitar in your room, can I grab ya a beer, you sonically real person? Don't need tubes, just the right system. Still have the Maggie's, just not room at the moment.
The room is so much of the equation. First, having the room at all of course. You gotta get those Maggie's setup again!
I am prepping a room for a dedicated 2ch setup and recently cleared out everything - all the boxes and storage and whatnot from the room to get ready for the build and my system sounds like total garbage now. Just the right amount of echo and reflections in there now to totally kill the soundstage and clarity. The pinpoint details are completely gone. It's like I have hearing damage compared to when the room was stocked full of stuff.
Can't wait to get it corrected properly . Like you did with the Maggie's, I'm putting serious focus on the room for my next stage. Most of my gear is good enough for now. But now I want the most from it
I could certainly see that happening with maggies, those are a different kind of speaker. So much surface area they damn well better bring something to the table lol. I love the magnepan sound, just not the magnepan look.
@@NemoPropaganda yeah surface area, the tweeter array is the size of 72 dome tweeters, and it radiates front and back. They are amazing. Thats why these giant, some would say unsightly (mine are beautiful, in very expensive hardwood with a super high end crossover), speakers sell very very well to this day. Right now running Emotiva T Zeros on an impulse buy, and have been for months. They are great!
@@Audfile Ahhh, I can picture that, I'm imaging a fairly large room, well at least larger than mine.
@@NemoPropaganda best, most realistic bass you will ever hear, bar none. Speakers can get close, but Maggie's are special.
Great show. I'm happy with mine too but still wanted to hear your thoughts. Thanks
Nothing wrong with a little validation aye :D
Here’s a quote; “You buy the distortion you prefer”
Dr. Phil Eastman, Physics Dept, University of Waterloo (RIP)
not sure what to really make of a quote without context, sounds a bit jaded though...
Okay alright alright Okay alright, Excellent vid.
Thank's sloboat, but the real question is why is your boat slow?
I thought MidFi and PfS preferred the Qutest albeit jumping up in price. Be interesting to see your take on the Chord sound.
maybe, I'm pretty happy with the Ares so I'm not sure I will review other dacs.
I've got a Hermes DDC on the way, followed soon after by a Pontus II. Very much looking forward to it.
What does a ddc do?
@@NemoPropaganda it's a digital to digital converter. Allows you to take a usb audio signal and convert to spdif (RCA or BNC), AES (digital on XLR) or I2S (i-squared-s). The last one is native DAC format and all denafrips from Pontus up can use it and benefit from a better signal (in theory)
Have owned the Ares II for over a year....I haven't loved my system more that I do now.
strongly agree!
Now that you’ve got everyone salivating, I may have to sell mine and upgrade to the Pontus II. 😬
I can't comment yet but I will review Pontus soon!
Nice thought process, I think you are on to something. If we could only find a dollar for value proposition.
It would be too personal I think.
I've had this for 9 months now and it's taken the sharpness away from my ls50's and added more bass which is a great thing. The realism of the voices really come out too.
strongly agreed, the vocal section was my favorite part about it. My system was good in that region but now it's great!
Great job!!!🤜
Thank's Leo!
At the opening I thought I won’t make it to the end of this? Well, not exactly so, I ended up subscribing to your channel! So I’ll just say, nice work. One question I do have is, with your Bluesound are you now using the Ares2 to convert the digital signal or are you still outputing RCA out of the Node to your preamp? I’m sure I know the answer but thought I’ll ask anyway.
Hey what's up man, welcome aboard. I used digital coax from the node to the ares2 and then RCA from the ares2 to my preamp. both cables are Analysis Plus Oval One and I confirmed with them that their oval one cable is identical to their digital coax.
@@NemoPropaganda Thank you for the welcome. Pretty soon with an update forthcoming for the Node we will be able to take advantage of USB out from the Node, which should improve things on both sides of the signal. The Ares2 does blow away the sub $1000 group, I totally agree! But I must warn you, if you have a chance to hear a Pontus2, it’s everything the Ares2 is plus more, that is worth every penny in my opinion. So you know where I’m coming from, I use an Ares2 in my Stax SRL-700/SRM-007tll headphone system, tubed. I use a Pontus2 in my room stereo system, QS V-4 monos, Shindo pre, ET LFT8b panels. Both system are up there in costs. I can unequivocally say without hesitation, both Denafrips dacs made huge improvements in better connecting me to the music. No BS! 😎
@@De132an well I have a pontus2 on the way and your comment makes me super excited to hear it. Wow man you're lucky, you have 2 badass systems!!
the Aries is very complicated to change from OS to NOS compared to the Pontus. Denafrips needs to make something like the Pontus but with a smaller foot print that will fit on the desk with dedicated NOS and OS buttons. this is a beast of a DAC. i don't have the real estate for it. maybe a Aries 3 with a remote?
I found it fairly easy to make the changes, it just required a small learning curve.
I picked up an NAD 658 a couple of years ago since it has an add-on HDMI module, which was something that made my life a bit easier. I've since upgraded my system significantly, and began to wonder if the NAD was being exposed, so to speak. I recently read a review on it that indicated it measured like absolute horse shit, so now I'm looking to move it out and get a better quality DAC. This is a really great way to do a review, and I am probably going to decide between this and the SE version of the Topping D90. I kind of wish this one had MQA. Even though I'm starting to think MQA isn't all it's cracked up to be, Tidal has so many MQA tracks that I kinda like having the ability to listen to them to compare. Anyway, great review brother Nemo! Don't mind my rambling lol
yeah I used to think like that also but what you're really doing is over valuing MQA. I would suggest that nobody considers MQA compatibility as a factor when choosing a dac. It's like picking speakers that are bi-wire-able over ones that aren't.
@@NemoPropaganda im trying to fix myself lol
@@ajzepp8976 bahahahaha, as we all are :)
@@NemoPropaganda 😂
Own it for a year plus,I suggest you try changing the fuse and had it grounded.It will sound even better.
I haven't entered the "tweaks" part of my audio journey just yet...
Nice video. Do you smoke 💨 pot often?
Oh it’s been about a decade since my last puff. The stuff doesn’t really agree with me these days.
Thanks Nemo, Im learning with your videos, I also saw your Emotiva TA1 review where you mentioned Ares 2 pairing was great.
I have the Cambridge AXR100. You think the Ares be a good pairing with AXR100?
I think so yes. Lower priced amps like under $1000 are usually missing some refinement in the treble compared to more expensive gear they can sometimes sound gritty. Ares2 really improved that and add some midrange tonal character that is very enjoyable :).
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks man!
Must be a system synergy thing, because in my system this DAC sounded way too dark and recessed, the details were also on the grainy side. I suppose the claims about tonality and rich midrange could be true, but I couldn't really get over how soft and unresolving it sounded. For most that would be ok, it probably sounds like a decent vinyl set up and easy on the ears for most systems but on my system I was missing the detail and dynamics.
That's so weird, it did seem like the top end was interpreted very differently between all the reviewers, some said it had more sparkle, others said it was a bit rolled off. For me it had more sparkle and air. Your reference might be more tilted up so you're just use to that and that's perfectly fine :).
Did u have the "NOS" on or off?
@@NemoPropaganda I strive for "neutrality" and I get that it's whatever is neutral to me. I have Dynaudios x18s and they are a bit on the darker side of neutral which is possibly why the D90 AKM MQA was a better fit. Having said that, I do think that there may be some inconsistency between the individual units as to how they sound, the first unit I had recieved was defected, but sounded nice. I just wasn't comfortable keeping it in the system as it got Class A amp level hot and had strong transformer hum. With the second unit I got the impression that the sound was different, but difficult to say since I did not have much time with the first unit to make an informed decision. I'm glad it worked out for you, but after a shit streak with Denafrips I don't think I'll be coming back for more.
@@backrack01 off.
@@buckethead84 oh man that sound frustrating for sure, I've been relatively lucky with most blind audio purchases. It sounds like you ended up with great synergy though so it all happened for a great outcome :D
Now its time to get some tubes
No way, I love my separates!
Great review, leaning towards buying. Anyone using with the node 2i? - and if so, any issues with sound or compatibility? Saw one review video where the combo of these two comments caused a loud pop when the bitrate changed, but they didn’t seem to get to the route cause.
My entire review is based around using it with a Node 2i. I did not have any issues. Often times hums & pops are related to the homes AC and not the gear itself.
@@NemoPropaganda great, thank you.
I have been lusting after the Venus II for over a year now. This Christmas I got myself a pair-o-rel subs but next Christmas, it will be the Venus
yeah bro $3k dac is a big investment for sure. Is your system that expensive/resolving that you need the venus though? Pontus is already pushing my S400 MK2 to their limits, of course that's along with my Kinki separates.
@@NemoPropaganda Bro, actually you’re 100% right, I was debating that. I’m going to wait for your Pontus review. I’ll have that dough saved by June. I always tend to buy the middle of the range…so like I’m like your typical mid-fi person. So in car analogy, not 3 series or a 7 series, but a 5 series. But the Pontus just maybe the 5 series and the Venus may be the m5…lol. Let me know your thoughts 💭
@@Novilicious honestly bro I don't consider the uber expensive stuff in my calculations of "high end". To me the Pontus is already high end. Of course there are $10k dacs so what do we call those? I call those "something else" because it's not just about performance anymore it's about the flex or brand heritage, pride of ownership etc.... Two owners of different companies on different occasions put that in perspective for me when I referred to my own system as "midfi" they were both like "dude no, $10k and up is not midfi" and I responded by saying something like "well I know there are amps that cost like $30k+" and they both said the same thing: "that's something else". Like these companies selling this uber expensive shit like $30k amps, I don't think they sell too many of those a year, wouldn't be surprised if they sold like 2-3 a year. Like sure the 7-series is the flagship so by comparison 3 series seems cheap or low end but the 3 series is still a damn $50k car and is not an entry level car by any means, vs a camry that's $35k or a fully loaded civic around $28k that 3 series is without a doubt high-end. We too have been affected by social media in our small hobby to see these mega buck items and start to think it's normal or common for people to have these giant rooms with $500k systems as "high end" and it's just not. Sorry for the rant lol I just woke up and drank a bang :D
@@NemoPropaganda you know what, you’re 1000000000% right. Im drinking the cool-aide for nothin. Thanks for that advice…imma take it to the bank ❤️ Please make a New Year’s video about how how this is all hi-fi… There are a lot of nerds like me who are easily influenced…lol
@@Novilicious maybe :)
Nice to see something a bit different. 👍
I currently have a Cambridge CXA60 and am using the built in DAC with some Dali Zensor 3’s. I want to upgrade but don’t want to do small steps. Tarun (British Audiophile) suggests spending 3 times what you last spent on your next upgrade. For me that would be approx £1500 on an amp and £1000 on speakers. I’m really tempted by jumping straight to the S400 mk2 and then upgrading the amp in a couple of years. In terms of bang per buck I am correct to assume that the speaker is where I’ll notice the biggest benefit? My concern is if the S400’s would work well with my Cambridge as a stop gap or if it would be better to wait and do it all together. If the S400s don’t work so well with the Cambridge it will feel like a waste of money. With regard to the Ares 2 how much of a noticeable upgrade would it be compared to speakers and amp compared to what I’m assuming is probably tee equivalent of a £100 DAC in the Cambridge?
Basically if you were starting now looking for potential end game gear with £1500 to £2009 to spend initially where would you start? Thanks.
Hey Lucky… I just watched Sean's (Zero Fidelity) Review of the S400 IIs. If you go to ~min. 17.00 he talks about amp pairing. The Buchardts will probably sound just fine with your Cambridge Amp. Your Amp has a solid power delivery for its 60wpc rating with that toroidal transformer in it. Also, the fact that your amp is also rated for 90wpc @4 ohms is positive, too.. That is a good amp and I am guessing it would be a massive sound upgrade from your Dali Speakers relative to your current listening. Especially if you are in a small to medium room. Sure…if you get a more powerful amp, like the Unison Research Primo Uno that Sean mentions, you would get slightly more from the speakers… but you could upgrade in the future, as you mentioned.
@@bobb.9917 Thanks for the feedback. My room isn’t that big so power hopefully won’t be an issue.
@@doifeellucky It would be interesting to see what Nemo thinks if he weighs in on your situation.
Hey Lucky, so I agree with Tarun but I also realize not everyone has the $$ to just spend 3x on an upgrade. So it looks like the cambridge question has been answered let's move on to your last question of where would I start if I was building a system today: I would do it in this order: speakers first, then front end gear like amp/preamp/source in any order, then dac, then pretty cables so it looks nice.
Having great speakers and an "okay" amp is totally fine, it'll still sound great and later when you upgrade the amp then BOOM! Even better performance. Once everything is sounding great things like the DAC just kick it up a notch. But if you had killer amps with shit speakers for sure you're not going to hear much of an upgrade or a $2000 dac with a shit amp you again won't hear much. But the way I suggest I think will still feel like an upgrade every step of the way.
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks for the great advice. Much appreciated.
Great review!!! I enjoyed your presentation..I found your format and content very enlightening.
Awesome, thank you!
@@NemoPropaganda I have looked at that particular DAC for quite sometime . I felt your review was an excellent objectively subjective on this DAC..no bandwagoning. I also love your Kinki Rig.
@@thomasstanfel7589 ah thank's Thomas, yeah that was one of my bigger blind purchases. I'm certainly happy and grateful it turned out so well. I don't think I will ever upgrade beyond the Kinki setup.
@@NemoPropaganda From what I read. The circuitry layout, the unique heat sinks and overall fit and finish. Makes it very unique. In addition, bullet proof.
Great job bro & what kind of sub is that one in the back i cannot see it? lol ;-)
REL T7x
Brian is correct! It's a REL T7X :D
Hi Nemo and fellow audio enthousiasts, advice needed! what to go for denafrips ares II or bluesound node don't have budget currently for both. My current setup: speakers buchardt s400, amp iotavx sa3 + p3, the sa3 is fed via volumio with a digione allo hat. Mainly listening to r&b, hiphop, jazz, edm pop and some blues. Streaming via tidal connect, or apple music via airplay. What to choose the dena or the node? Thanks for your advice, enjoy your system :) ps keep up the good work Nemo!
so those are two totally different things, are you asking if you should upgrade your streamer or your DAC? I would upgrade the dac :)
I have the Ares2 and the Bluesound NODE, and honestly I can BARELY tell the difference between the 2 in audio quality. Thats with an Emotiva ta100 amp and Focal Clears/Elac UBR62s. Im sure you've already made your choice by now though.. LOL I think Im just too mid-fi to reveal the differences.
You should try the Pi2AES DDC for $250 with it, also you just figured out our plan of defense (or attack) against aliens PUPPIES!
I could be wrong but I think it's discontinued. Another model, called Mercury is coming though.
What is it though?
@@NemoPropaganda It's a streamer..
@@greyhound9967 ohhhh, you think it's better than my node 2i? I get worried when I see those DIY looking streamers, my buddy had one and it was glitchy as hell.
@@NemoPropaganda I don't have one but my first thought is that it was a digital to digital converter but it might not be that but DDC should get a better signal from source to DAC
I think I see the A500s behind, will you be reviewing those as well? ;)
Yes sir!
If you get the Pontus. Alvin will prob strongly suggest you get the Iris in front of it. :)
Just get the Venus and be done with it. :)
Noooooo, I love my Ares lol
@@NemoPropaganda Aren't u a little curious? The Venus in silver looks beautiful.
Ha... just f*cking with ya. Lol
@@backrack01 pffft you're gonna make me poor lol.
@@NemoPropaganda ha. Better hurry. There's a little price hike coming.
@@backrack01 Pontus is on the way lol
Hey Nemo! After watching your kinda review I’ve been looking at adding a new dac to my node 2i. Im currently running revel f208’s with an Arcam Avr30 and Arcam P7. I have the opportunity to change my fronts for revel 228be’s or Totem fire v2’s. In your opinion will get more bang for my buck with a speaker change or Dac change??? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Hey Shawn, tough question to answer because it depends which product you like the sound of more. If you like the new speakers sound a lot or the new dac sound. I'd say you already have speakers so grab the dac!
@@NemoPropaganda thanks for the quick reply! Price wise is the Pontus 2x better if I go the dac route?
@@NemoPropaganda 2x better than the Ares II ?
@@shawnwinter4415 I don't rate products in multiples or percentages personally but I think maybe if we look at it like this it makes more sense: Ares2 is good for systems up to $10k for maximum value. Pontus will still be an upgrade for any system but we're talking maximum bang for buck right? So with that logic Pontus should start to offer great bang for back around the $10k mark and up. Again that's not to say a Pontus won't sound amazing on a $5k system or that Ares2 won't sound great on a $20k system, just talking about maximum value here as it seems that is your question. Does that answer your question?
@@NemoPropaganda pretty much. I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth the extra dollar for the Pontus over the Ares? In your opinion will both of these be a major upgrade over the node 2i or my Dac in my avr30 (ESS 9026PRO)? Again thanks for the input. It’s difficult since there is no way to demo them…. I respect your opinion and knowledge and love the channel.
A couple of Amazon reviews are saying the USB input is poorly implemented. Can anyone comment on that?
Not sure bro, I only use coax or optical.
A little late to reply, but I've only had my Ares 12th-1 for 3 weeks. I use the USB input at least 95% of the time and I really can't imagine that the soundstage, timbre, and overall wow-ness of the music could be any better. Sometimes a vocalist sounds like they are in the room (really IN THE ROOM), but I don't know how to really describe it, the realism gives me goosebumps. So I have no idea what these Amazon reviewers are talking about. Maybe their upstream USB device is garbage. I really couldn't be happier.
@@earthoid The 12th is a 2nd or 3rd gen product from the Ares II, so there may have been upgrades to the USB input. However you do make a good point about the source. The USB output from my DAP is better than the one from my laptop, and way better than the USB output from my phone.
How would this stack up against the Terminator ?
No Idea, I think Terminator is for systems that are like $30k or more, I don't have such a system to test it.
Oh man, you already sold me on this dac. But I read that it has some latency of about 60-90ms, which would bother me a lot since I'm using it mostly for TV :(
The search goes on...
do you have to use it for TV? I game and watch movies in my listening room but I use a $20 fiio taishan dac to connect my TV to my stereo.
@@NemoPropaganda unfortunately yes - this is what I'm looking for the most. Must be the do it all dac. I would hate to switch DACs and Inputs
@@lollinger123 you might be overthinking this, there is no switching of anything my bro, the Fiio is an inline dac that allows you to go optical out from TV to analog input on the back of your AVR or preamp and it's so small it can stay behind the TV. So all you do is change your avr/preamp to the source that the analog TV input is on. You will have to do this no matter which DAC the TV is running through. There are no extra steps or things to change. Your AVR/Preamp doesn't know which dac the signal is coming from, it only knows what source you want and you adjust volume the same way you would no matter if the TV is running through the same dac as music or it's own dac. I'm not trying to sell you on the Ares2 but it sounds like you want it and the issue you bring up can be easily overcome with $20 and has no downsides :) If it's just an OCD thing I totally understand that, another commenter said he went with the Bifrost for this very reason so maybe that's a good option too!
@@lollinger123 i had the same issue.
put your dac to speakers.
put your tv straight to speakers - skip the dac.
this of course works if your speakers are powered and have a remote of their own. if not, the amp should.
Dude - If you're going to go all blue light on us, you gotta get the Captain Kirk Mascara Eyelight Hilight 3000. Be prepared because you might need two - one for the eyes and one for the beard. You stroked the fuck out that bad boy this vid! Keep buffing those nails tho - great vid!
pffft, you're not ready for the redlight special coming soon...
@@NemoPropaganda lol - can't wait!
Holy Re-Cap Batman!
😱
dammit Alfred stop telling people about my secret identity!
The only reason why id go for the Pontus ll is for the l2s capability which the Aries ll doesn't have. Ive heard good things about the l2s hdmi connection..
honestly bro I don't even know what that's used for, is it for people that use PC for audio?
@@NemoPropaganda its just another hi resolution connection. It's a hdmi connection just like coax , optical etc etc.. the dac with l2s connection has to be connected to a transport of the same l2s capability. Ideally the iris ddc has it. Or a cd transport with l2s. The sound is supposed to be better this way.. hope that makes sense..
@@oohtob6685 oh okay that's kind of cool, none of my gear has it so I've just ignored it :) Thank you for explaining though!
That's not the way it works. Pontus needs the right level of chain, at its price range, to truly produce an audible difference. Buying something because of some tech bullet point is the sign of a not very clever buyer :)
If you use LS50, it's ARESII. If you use REF series, perhaps Pontus. (In KEF world).
@@morespinach9832 I would agree that yes maybe you will not get the full value and performance of the Pontus with LS50 but I believe it would still be an upgrade for speakers as affordable as Focal Chora 806. You are correct in that the Ares2 certainly is the more logical choice as it will give the best "bang for buck" but Pontus will still be a notable improvement and if someone is happy to spend the extra money then there is nothing wrong with that :).
Not another Denafrips video 😂😂😅
Apparently the NOS is not really NOS..
All my brain is thinking about is fast and the furious. Give me two of the big ones! :D
OK ok ok, I'll buy one. Geesh...
Did i twist your arm? 😅
@@NemoPropaganda I'll have to eat dry bread for the rest of the month
Pontus review inbound?
Yes sir!!!! Feel free to join the discord if you have any questions in the meantime. discord.gg/pNtZkqh8
@@NemoPropaganda I thought you we're happy with the Ares? LOL... that didn't last long at all. That's why never say never in the audiophile world. Glad you decided to explore.
@@scslite5206 I am happy with the Ares, the Pontus is a review sample :)
Have you auditioned the Geshelli Labs J2 AK4499, some have their tits out over?
Yes, I have one here :) I need to review it, I've just been so busy.
Next step Holo Audio Audio Spring 3 ;)!
I don't know if I want to go down the dac hole lol
@@NemoPropaganda you already have! 😂😂😂
@@bobb.9917 nooooooo dac hole bad
Current Price $ 1,150
yeah in SGD, it's still $850 usd. An absolute bargain for what you get.
@@NemoPropaganda Okay! great didn't know.
why suport china hi fi
Vinshine Audio (global distributor) is from Singapore actually. I'm not sure I understand your concern though? All our cellphones are made in China sooo.... You know, what's the problem?
@@NemoPropaganda lol great response
@@geraldgreene5563 yeah, I will never understand this... But he didn't respond so he didn't want to talk, he just wanted to talk shit I guess....
@@NemoPropaganda I have the Aries II on the way , hopefully it’s a good decision
@@geraldgreene5563 unless you prefer a brighter sound I think you will like it.
Might sounds good, but design is UGLY!
Strongly disagree. It’s simple, clean, and subtle. It’s also small enough to simply hide away. You can literally shove it behind your media console if you wanted to :)