Can a terrific Topping DAC replace my beloved Denafrips Ares II?
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
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Is this Topping DAC good enough to replace my Denafrips Ares II DAC?
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Which bad joke did you like best? Ocho, Chips or Measurements? lol
The measurements one.
I am so far removed from the objective measurements cult.
I find it bizarre that purchasing decisions on audio equipment can be so heavily motivated by a graph rather than your own audio measurement devices attached to the side of your head.
I’ve just binged watched a load of your reviews and I like the style.
chips
The first listening of my ARES 12th-1 brought tears to my eyes. That's what music's all about!
Awesome, thank you for sharing!
And you need to consider that R2R DACs need a significant amount of time to break in and I did make a difference in my system. The Ares 12-1 is simply awesome, but I suppose it is a matter of taste.
I wonder if it is mostly myth that R2Rs need long breakins, but I do think it is best to always leave them turned on. My Ares was cold when delivered (about 50F). I hooked it up right away but it sounded harsh, then after about an hour it was amazingly good. I haven't noticed improvements since then but I also don't claim to have golden ears.
Measurements joke .. Ha! I'm the same way. Sound is way more important to me than measurements. Sure you want things like low THD but if it is too low, you could be missing out on those lower harmonics that can be so pleasing.
I think measurements are important, but only looking at measurements is like reading the credits to an album and judging the music as good or bad based on personnel only and never listening to the music, lol.
@@ForeverAnalog Well said.
I love your measurements. They are way more accurate than any other I have seen. Great video. Thx.
lol thank you!!!
love the measurement graph.
I thought I might be pushing my luck with that one but just couldn't edit it out, lol
@@ForeverAnalog it was brilliant
Sound is so much more important than measurememts
Great review! I like the Octo so far, it needs appropriate speakers to match, it can get a little bright depending on which ones you pair it with. Keep the videos coming 👌
I have been there. Streamers with displays, fancy dacs, with fancy displays. I still own the Ares II and since last year a Holo May KTE. I wouldn’t go for something with a display anymore. I really do not see any value into.
Waiting for the Wiim Ultra which integrates a display screen (maybe a touchscreen?) with a streamer, dac and more inputs. Probably competing more with eversolo, fiio, cambridge and bluesound though.
Yeah that makes sense!
Ive just subbed on the back of the measurements graph and your views on them.
I’ve never understood the appeal of using measurements as a primary basis for a purchase.
I just use my ears and go for which one I like the sound of. If I can’t hear much difference I go for whichever has the connectivity/functionality/looks/price to suit my needs.
I couldn’t care less what the SINAD (or whatever it is) looks like.
Yeah, I get comments on my DAC videos about how I don't include measurements and therefore my reviews are subjective. Every review is subjective, lol. I think there is a place for it but to me, judging a product solely on measurements seems to take the fun out of hifi and I'm only here for the fun! Thanks for watching!
Dang, that's alot of chips, classic, lololol. Great review!
Thank you!
I just bought a rotel 1980s five cd platter for $5 so I use that dac for my 5000 cds of music. It does hdcds too.
I always find something useful with your videos. I mostly listened to vinyl for years and now I have done the cd player and multiple dac thing as well. I have the ares and a comparable smsl dac. I am surprised how different they are. I didn’t spend as much on the cd player though. You went all out! Picked up a used but fairly modern Marantz player. Great investment. There is something i find different in the timing i find hard to explain when i go from streaming to physical cds. Just more locked in somehow. And on things I have streamed forever and then get the actual cd I can hear more details or a slight bump in quality. I try not to buy too much physical media though. Mostly just at concerts right now. When I go into record stores I just get overwhelmed 😢😂. I like to save money for more gear 😊
Thanks for the kind words and for watching! I did got a little out with my CD upgrade, lol, but I've really enjoyed the results so far! I don't think people need to spend as much as I did though. I originally started with just using my DVD player and a good DAC!
Forever Analog? What all this DAC stuff? I have a vintage system and was wondering if this would be a great option for my B&O CD player and what would be an advantage to getting one?
Have you tried a DAC before? I always hesitate to recommend an expensive one right away. I usually point folks to try the SMSL SU-1 which is on sale for like $70 right now as a starting point and then upgrade from there.
@@ForeverAnalog I thought $500 was pretty low for a DAC these days?
@primeanaloguerecords. Your B&O CD player has a DAC in it..... It would need to have a digital output to use an external DAC.
Ok, next!. LAIV Harmony please!
That DAC looks amazing!
@@ForeverAnalogYes!, that is definitely will be the DAC of the year. I already bought an R2R DAC last yea, no regrets i love it, but this LAIV looks promising.!
Nice video Aaron, just go easy on the spinach next time you are switching out cables! 💪💪💪
Haha love it, thank you!
Yeah and don't pull on the cable itself...just the connector....😂
?Basically these are the dacs you would get from a good new receiver? Do they do sacd?
SACD is DSD which most current DACs will process fine. However a stand alone DAC will normally have better internal power regulation and analogue output stage...it's not just a chip.....🙂
And that’s why I avoid “audiophile” or otherwise cables that have death grip connectors. Those connectors that are meant to have a tight fit around the jack always make me nervous to break the actual plug off the equipment
Well at least now I know Best Buy sells them in store, lol!
Like Monster turbine plug.... killer for any receiver..... take care when you plug it......
Don’t see how they are in the same category. Denafrips is for a more entrenched audiophile with higher noise affected devices while the Octo is for a person who continues to chase these ess and akm chips and never satisfied 😅
Amazon Basics RCAs on a Schiit Saga +!?!!, you barbarian!! JK, I use the same cables, nice review.
One thing that kinda annoys me with these higher-end really nice feature packed DACs from Topping and SMSL is with their multiple inputs, and volume control they are so very close to making a full on pre-amp with a really good DAC onboard (which would be a super successful I would think) but never quite get there and instead introduce yet another iteration of the same DAC based on a different chipset instead of giving us something truly new which is a bit of a shame.
Yes! That is an excellent point about the preamp, thank you!
Love da oucho. I recently got a new bluesound node. The built in dac is better than my Wiim pro (big time), better than the Geshelli Lab J2 ak4493 dac, better than TI dac in my Rotel preamp. Bass is so much more engaging and dynamic, like Rotel, but also has midrange clarity and detail of Geshelli lab J2. I was surprised how well it sounds in comparison to the others, so much so that I want a dual mono AK4499ex dac based on reviews I hear on CZcams. But wow, Bluesound node built in dac sounds the best so far to me in my limited set of Dacs.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
GM☕️
I just got the new Denafrips Ares 12-1 …and I think I’d have to go deep into the fundings to get better ..Venus, HaloMay, Terminator?
Yeah, I would love to get a hold of higher end Denafrips and try to hear any real difference in sound.
That spectrum analyzer is enough for me to buy it. That looks killer. And I’m sure it sounds good enough
I really enjoyed that feature too - it made digital music more fun in a weird way lol
BTW recently I watched your review of the Schiit Saga and got a Saga S. Just FYI, try to remove your pre from the chain and use Dsp volume instead. There is a significant impact from having the schiit at least for me, seriously degrading the sound quality.
Thanks. I’ll check it out but I’ve loved my saga plus and haven’t noticed any sound degradation yet.
I have the Denafrips Enyo, otherwise known as the AresII, With the first updated firmware upgrade. I dont think it has the second/most recent update. In my system chain and Im afraid to even mess with and try putting another dac in my system. I just love the sound I am getting. I have another Ares II with the most recent update just laying around because my ears tell me I have no reason to switch it out. It just sounds and feels right. I watch all the videos on dacs at the same price point as the AresII, but nothing has convinced me to think I need to change it out. It seems the only way Im gonna do any experimenting and switch it out is if I spend the cash and go up the Denafrips Dac chain.
I don’t think we should rush to upgrade just to do so! So glad yours is working great in your system 🙌🏻
You're comparing a ladder resistor DAC with a solid state that has preamp and streaming capabilities? I'll take the Ares II any day.
I came here for the chip, turns out it's not disappointing... LOL
I just couldn't pass up a Chip joke, lol! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the video. Are you planning for a give away of any of the DACa? Appreciate if you can give it away to me 😅.
Not at this time. The Topping was sent back to the distributor and I still use the Ares II in my system.
How has the URD been? Any issues
I found one trick with the Urd that's helped a lot and that is to simply leave it powered on. When you power it off and on consistently, it can, at times, get hung up and need to be powered off/on to wake up. Since leaving it always on, I've yet to encounter that issue. Otherwise, I've really enjoyed it!
@@ForeverAnalog Alright then. Appreciate the info
You can use any coax cable...left or right will work. I use single subwoofer cable as digital audio cable. Is there really a difference?
I mean any rca cable (left or right) will work as digital cable.
There is a impedance specification for digital coax cables which regular audio cables would not meet but for short runs that people use at home there probably isn't going to be practical impact.
Interesting to see a DAC shootout on a "forever Analog" Channel 😅
It’s like buying a CD in a record store lol
@@ForeverAnalog no problem as the human hearing is analogue.
@goodsound4756 that’s what I tell folks too lol. Thanks for watching!
Punchy and very fast stop and go sounding is a typical high end sound that is not true to a live sound of instruments. I don't know how they are doing it but it's a bit to far from reality.
The closely spaced microphones?
If so, it's a recording error.
Everyone says measurements are not important but what if it doesn't fit on your rack? You can't even use it.
😂
BS! The Ares2 has much larger soundstage, good layering and more holographic
conclusion, expensive hifi doesn't sound better just different
Yeah I agree. Thanks for watching!
Had the Topping D50s for a few years. Finally tried to use the COAX input about a year ago... but signals won't lock (a known issue all over the internet) and factory wants me to send it back to China... Oh well... Threw it away ! Never again... Customer Service is non existent for these ChiFi crap.
not true boomer, stick to your records
You don't listen to features or measurements. Nice job.
Is this guy seriously doing an audio review with an $8 coax cable....? I'm out.
Wait till you hear how much I paid for the bag of chips!
I don’t buy expensive cables any more.
Now I just buy better components with the money I’d have saved from expensive cables.
My system sounds excellent.
it could sound a lot better with good cables. Your loss.