Denafrips Terminator R2R Multibit, ultimate pcm redbook converter??


Maybe the ultimate PCM (RedBook) converter? Sure looks the goods.
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/denafrips-terminator-the-king-of-r2r-dac.851085/

Cheers George
128x128georgehifi
regardless, as an R2R discrete dac, to take a shot ’get into it’ and see what is going on, it is probably the only way one can do this today.

No other R2R discrete dac exists at this price point today, that I am ware of. At least with this level of implementation.

Best quality, that’s up to the buyer to discern. It’s an easy choice when it comes to the idea of trying to find out what is going on with the R2R vs ’delta sigma’ question. Then, if one finds it to be of good potential, consider looking at the $15-20k+ R2R discrete dacs that are out there.

This one can probably be sold at it’s buy price, or at extremely little loss, at such point.

So, as a personal question to one’s self goes, it’s a no brainer.

Shardorne’s points are pretty well all valid, but we digress in the idea of what is best. Well implemented delta-sigma, or well implemented R2R.

How the resistive ladder is executed is critical to R2R dacs. The ’Total Dac’ and the MSB dacs cost what they do, partially for those very reasons.

Each type of dac the delta-sigma or the R2R, has their Achilles heel. I can’t listen to or consider Delta-sigma when I’m trying for ’best’. Shardorne seems to feel otherwise.

Most reviewers and buyers seem to feel the best implemented R2R ladder and similar designed dacs (specifically not delta-sigma) are the pinnacle of digital audio.

Point is, that a 0.01% accuracy set of resistors for the ladder is far from perfect enough to get to those pinnacles, and can barely make it there for redbook 16/44-48. But what tricks it may do for redbook 16/44, those may be more than good enough for most people to discern whether the tricks that ladder/R2R dacs do for music, this thing ’heard’ when one tries such a dac.... may convince one to go onward and upward in the world of R2R dacs.

Think of it as a valid ’test’, to take a look-see and dip into that world.

R2R dacs are just barely coming back into the digital fold ...from the desert created when delta-sigma became the big deal, due to costs. discrete Dacs are just barely coming back into being. Or, coming into being for the first time, depending on your view of the history of dacs.

This is the lowest priced discrete ladder dac with high bit rate ability--- that exists on the planet right now. I don’t expect the price to ever get any lower.

economies of scale won’t drop the price down.

Quality demands will force the price UP.
Demand will force the price UP.
Rising costs will force the price UP.
Labour and such in the far east will force the price UP.
Coming decay of the us dollar hegemony will push the price UP.
Success for this company will push the price UP.
And a few other UP’s.

And there’s nary a single DOWN force on the price in sight -or on the crystal ball of the future.

I hope you are getting my point.
so in general terms, is the  sound difference between delta sigmas and R2R  have to do with one sounding digital (glare) and one sounding more smooth?
@kclone

It depends on the particular DACs you are comparing but let’s say early Delta Sigma implementations had a reputation for hashy highs or digital glare. Recent implementations like the Benchmark series of DACs sound very clean articulate and neutral. They do not suffer from lack of rhythm or bounce (quite dynamic and punchy) but they are thinner or leaner sounding (neutral is probably a good description) than a DAC with a slightly more euphonic output (tube or R2R).

As I mentioned on another thread - if you 100% love the sound of your speakers then a neutral DAC will work. If you don’t 100% like your speakers then some slight coloration in the source may be beneficial holistically.
euphonic (tube or R2R)


These really should not be grouped together, ever!
As they are nothing alike.
If anything I would class R2R as being more like this, 
http://www.hifisentralen.no/forumet/attachments/hi-fi-generelt/30855d1335552744-krell-master-reference-amplifier-mra-750_2.jpg
than soft euphonic tube.

Cheers George