DENAFRIPS DAC ---- Owner Impressions, Feedback, General Discussion, Questions and more....

Just installed the New DSP board for the Terminator DAC. It took under 5 minutes to do so. Less than ten minutes from powering off to powering back on with the new DSB board.

The USB connection and handshake with Roon took immediately.

This is as simple as an install gets. I’m now playing music with the new board in, all in under ten minutes!!!

I’ll report back as I get some hours on the new board. First listen is very promising...and is different than the old board.

Here is the link from Denafrips / Alvin of Vinshine Audio to walk you through the board install.

https://www.denafrips.com/single-post/2019/06/18/How-To-Upgrade-DSP-Board?utm_campaign=7629eada-25c7-4c4f-a389-d6fa4664e3ec&utm_source=so

One thing to point out:   My streaming system is Linux based, which meant an immediate (driver-less) handshake [same for Mac]. Those with Windows systems will need to load the Thesycon USB driver.

Here is a link to Technical Highlights and Specifications [from Denafrips]:

https://www.denafrips.com/single-post/2019/05/31/DSD1024-PCM1536---Are-you-ready

Early impressions, now that I have over 30 hours of playtime on the DAC and over 40 hours of energized time on it:

First, I concur with what others have shared based on their own early impressions (mainly on Head Fi): The presentation is Clearer / Cleaner and with greater Clarity than the fully-run-in previous board.

Second, there has been variance in the sound as well as progression (in a good way) as the unit breaks in. Therefore, I’ll hold off on my other findings until I have over 100 hours of playtime on the DAC / new USB/DSP board.

Third, the sound signature of the new board departs enough from the previous board, for me to label it as ’significant,’ at least in terms of making a decision on one vs. the other.

Fourth, the write-up that was linked earlier in this thread [at the 10 hour point] is too early for an evaluation, in my opinion. Hopefully the author will follow-up with another quick review once he has many more hours on the board. The changes and progression I’m hearing is why my feedback above is very limited, at this point in time.

[PLEASE NOTE: I am only using the USB input and I am only using NOS mode, at this time]

Srajan Ebaen’s 6Moons review and 'Realization Awarded' Denafrips Terminator New DSP Board:

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/denafrips4/

Hi @david_ten ,
it was my quick 10 hours mark over view at head fi. I did realize that sound might change during break in, but the findings were exciting that I had to share them :)
also,  DT caps and ladder dac resistors were already broken in. i assume the effect of the DSP components will be minimal compared to the whole unit break in, which as I recall was a bit long - I stopped hearing changes in sound back then at about 1000 hours mark!

well for the new DSP, its past 300 hours mark for sure, more like 350 hours. 
I can't add much beside that I'm loving my terminator even more and glad that I made this choice over other options at that time, the DSP board dissipated any doubts I had about DT technical abilities, which it was in the back of my head at times.

what I did actually notice compared to what I remember at that 10 hours mark, there was a slight hint of harshness that I usually associate with most new components. its completely gone now. all good things that we got more of with the new DSP, like 3D, separation, tonality and transparency remain same if not improved ever so slightly. honestly I was very happy with results out of box that i was not on a mission to focus on day to day changes, so this is probably my only comments that I'm sure off. things became smoother with initial "slight" harshness/sharpness completely gone.

worth mentioning that I have added during this time an AQ thunderbird bass cable, for a true bi-wire. it is said that this should enhance the purity of highs and mids, with less distortion over all. so I can't tell for sure (like 100% sure) if the cable had nothing to do with the additional smoothness I witnessed. 

please note, I use AES, in NOS mode only.