If it is bricked…you will have to send it down to Todd in Texas (if you are in The U.S.A.). I have dealt with him…he is super professional, with fast turnaround….but you may want to wait and see if there is a second firmware release before doing that. I think right now, that Alvin is overwhelmed (and possibly Todd), but he will get back to you. Definitely. Vinshine is a good group of people! We are all going to need a bit of patience, right now.
Showing 13 responses by bobo1000
Yeah…I luckily have another decent DAC to compare the updated Pontus to side-by-side. My Marantz SACD 30n has a Burr/Brown chip based DAC/streamer which is on the warm side. Unusual for a chip-based DAC, but true. It can lack detail though in that warm ness. I am definitely getting a colder rendering by my Pontus now. It used to reveal more detail than my Marantz..and never sounded synthetic or edgy like it can now. |
Thanks for the confirmation. I am getting a little buggy with all of this listening. Glad to hear that you have the same perceptions as me. Seems that there are a lot of us hearing this synthetic, glassy sound in the highs. Perhaps some systems do not resolves enough to perceive what we are hearing. I am not buying that as my system is VERY on the warm side. ...but who knows. LOL! Yes...you have me thinking..what do the new DACs (12ths) sound like now. This gives me pause. |
paulcreed455 posts After reading some saying a little brighter and not as organic has anyone decided to hold up on the update? I was planning on doing an update on my Pontus 2 this weekend but may hold off until more have spoken up on their results. so… yeah…I updated last Sunday…strictly for the improved sonics, as I had no tech issues…and after listening extensively…for me…I am experiencing greater clarity…some positives…but as of right now there can be a glassiness in the highs. Symbols sound better but the overall sound in the highs with certain recordings can be synthetic sounding… The DAC NEVER had this quality before. There Is a discussing going on at Head-Fi about this. Many of us are having the same experience. A member there has talked with Alvin and said that we can return our DACs to the previous firmware. I am going to give mine some more "burn-in" and see if the sound changes…but if not I am going to reload the old firmware. That thread is here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/denafrips-fpga-firmware-update-12th-anniv.967375/page-7 |
My system is as follows: Qobuz via Ethernet =>Pi2 Design Mercury Streamer=> I²S =>Pontus II =>XLRs =>Schiit Loki Max => XLRs => Schiit Freya+ Preamp => McIntosh MC152 Power Amp => DynAudio Contour 20s, w/Stereo REL T/5x Subs using REL’s proprietary hi output lines directly off the speaker outputs from the power amp..subs are tuned way back to be "invisible" to blend-in the lower freq. when the recording calls for it. 😎 |
kengt"However, if you still have the synthetic, glassy sound in the highs after the burn in. you then really need to contact Denafrips. I believe they would like to hear from you about your issues. Especially, you didn’t have that problem before the update." OH…Vinshine will hear from me, as I would be requesting a download of the old firmware for my FPGA chip. 😁 There is a thread over on Head-Fi regarding all of this where quite a few are experiencing a similar experience as myself. 300 hrs. of burn-in has been mentioned? 😳 One member, José has confirmed that we can revert (via a conversation with Alvin), and he will be doing that ASAP and said he would report his experience. So…I am going to sit tight for the time being, have a little patience and see how this all develops. It’s all a massive luxury issue! 🙃 |
fanofmsu3 posts I shared my desire to revert to the old firmware with Vinshine and here’s what they said: Our goal is to have the best of both worlds - New firmware with bugs fixed, as well as to preserve the sound quality that DENAFRIPS is known for - ability to reproduce music very much 'analog-like', and improve it further. We are working with DENAFRIPS on this. We aim to release a new firmware for Pontus II (EP4CE6F) in approximately 7 days to achieve that. Thank you, Vinshine!!! Hi …Did Alvin tell you this today? |
triode44 posts Maybe the HDMI pin designations changed when you updated?
Yes, THANKYOU!! That's what it was
YAY! I WAS USEFUL! 😀😀😀😂 (HAPPY 4 YOU!) |
triode43 posts I got a chance to roll my firmware back to the first version and after the flashing and restarting, my Pontus 2 is now really distorted in I2S mode, USB sounds fine. So I thought I would reinstall the version1 again and exact same thing. I can tell what song is playing.... barely. I can hear USB playback just fine, but I was using I2S 100% of the time because it sounds so much better, up until now. I am just shutting it down completely until I can get an answer what to do.
Maybe the HDMI pin designations changed when you updated? |
I loaded the 1st update….and wasted many, many hours (for burn-in…LOL! …there was none for me). I spent a lot of money on an R2R DAC to have a warmer more organic sound as opposed to all those analytical Chip DACs. In my world the 1st firmware update turned my Pontus II into a chip DAC that caused me listening fatigue. THANK GOD…I was eventually able to go back to blissful v.1.0. (Witness: no burn-in …My DAC was immediately back to the original sound…this coming from someone who HAS experienced burn-in with new electronic components, speakers, etc.). I will not be wasting any more of my time loading V1.4. 🤷🏻♂️ I am happy where I am. VERY HAPPY! GOOD LUCK on "your" journey!! 😀 |
I could not agree with whipsaw more…(I DO believe in burn-in of capacitors, speakers…new gear in general)….well-used Pontus II, here…Only tried the 1st update. Definitely too bright for this Bobo Boy! I feel silly now for running the unit for 200 hrs. thinking there would be a change…THERE WASN'T. 😄…Here is my proof…re-installed the original firmware and POOF!!, MIRACULOUSLY the original sound was back….no "burn-in required! 🤷🏻♂️ I have been smiling ever since. 😄…I did not bother with the next iteration…why mess with perfection…but I do think it’s VERY COOL that the versions are on offer! 👍🏼 |
Denafrips is great. I applaud their efforts! TRULY! 👍🏼 I downloaded the first new firmware offering for my Pontus II at it’s release date....The process is a chore for me..iMac..no laptop. I have to take the DAC out of a stack in an enclosed cabinet (hassel #1) , then take it to my office and hook it up to my iMac (hassel #2), and then with my lack of computer skills do something that is very uncomfortable for me…download and install new firmware. Stressful considering the "brick" possibility. After a number of false starts I was able to do this (hassel #3). Reinstall into my stack in my enclosed cabinet (hassel #4). Then listening a lot and believing "for me and my system" the highs got brittle (silk dome tweeters) with much of my music (hassel #5)…This is the worst one…believing the burn-in nonsense..thinking it would change over days…a week (hassel #6)…no change for me. I have at least $25K invested. My system is resolving, but NOT bright….but the sound stayed bright. This was SUCH a waste of time “for me"…then…I had to wait for the original firmware to be made available from Denafrips (hassel #7). Then repeat hassles 1, 2, 3 & 4 above. LOL! Bringing me to ELEVEN hassles…but let’s make it an even dozen 😀 as I had to listen again and make sure that the sound that I love was back. It was. NO BURN-IN. 👉🏼😁 (BTW…I do believe in burn-in for components and speakers. These DACs when new need burn-in , for example…but I found there to be no change after firmware install over time in my well used Pontus II "for me"). THEN… Denafrips released the next new firmware…which was received better by more listeners…but…I just couldn’t go thru the dozen hassles! 😂💦 Tarun, The British audiophile told me that it’s worth the hassles ….but nah. Perhaps in a moment of insanity I might give it a go. LOL! I do think it’s great that Denafrips did all this work…and in practice has offered different firmwares for different sounds to tweak their WONDERFUL DACs! I ordered a pair of Grant Fidelity Treasure Globe 6SN7s for my preamp instead. Fewer hassles, hopefully more enjoyment. Definitely a meaningful burn-in process there…We’ll see! 🤷🏻♂️ |