Just about to pull the trigger on Pontus 15th ...

@lanx0003 right on & thanks for sharing the link. 

I will say that for the last 5 or 6 days I have not heard any inconsistencies. When I play the 1st track I know right off the bat if it's sounding "Right". 

As you know I have been critical of the unit since day one. The last few days I have been impressed by this dac from top to bottom in sound. Listening to good quality instrumental tracks has wowed me at times. This dac has allowed my preamps to really show off their different sound qualities as well. 

Nothing sharp or fatiguing in the high end, no grain or that glare/ringing I could get at times from my chip dac. Very smooth & so detailed. The bite is still there on tracks that have it but it doesn't bite the ears. When the bow crosses over a violin you can hear more clearly all the different frequency's coming from that one stroke of the bow. You are getting all the information from the original signal. 

Which makes me think of something. With say a Sabre dac that we know objectively is as transparent as it gets. Inaudible noise floor..dynamic range as high as 22bits. Whatever the source is giving it that DAC is passing it along. But when I listen to the 15th it seems apparent I am getting a clearer window to micro details. It's hard for me to describe sound so I'll just say a more realistic or in the room sound & tone from quality tracks with the Pontus. If a sabre chip is as transparent as it gets, why does the Pontus have more information or the ability to highlight more information from the original signal? 

Anyway, the bass & midrange is the same way with this dac. I think the bass is fantastic. Again it's like the DAC is passing more information from the signal. Highlighting every strum & kick, no smearing of frequencies. Which happens a lot with bass depending on the system. The 15th is giving you every tone clearly defined & separated, even if the track is the type to jumble it all together in a fast pace. Your ears can clearly pick out the frequency change. Instruments or vocals don't get congested together. Everything is spaced out accordingly. 

It's a good dac. The better your system the better this will sound. That might seem like a common thing to say but I think this 15th will scale very well with pricier pieces. It allowed me to hear & perceive things from my preamps that I didn't know they had in them..& I'm not in the high end pool waters. The dac isn't overly warm but it has just enough richness & weight that anyone could clearly pick out vs my sabre dac..but it's not a richness & weight that will steal your attention from the music. More naturalness or realism vs the chip dac. 

It's kinda weird. Because in a way the differences are just subtle vs the chip dac. But subtly different in every aspect puts it in a different league & clearly better to my ears & with visual perceptions. 

So after being extremely critical of my 1st R2R I understand why they are liked so much. I was under the impression that these dacs are known for warmth..& maybe other models truly are. I am a fan of the old skool tube sound so I welcome that exaggerated "warmth" at times. I don't feel that this dac exaggerates that type of tone but I definitely feel a hint of it. I've read people saying they prefer the older Pontus models vs the 15th because of the extra warmth or weight. I don't know if I would want to substitute any of the smooth clarity & detail of the 15th for more of that warmth. I certainly would not say the 15th is lean in sound. 

After this experience it makes me wonder about & want to hear these other R2R's in comparison. I would love to experience the Laiv's to get a better idea where the 15th stands. Or to hear for myself the differences between the 15th & the older models..a Gustard or even the Topping & Holo. At the moment this Pontus 15th is easily the best dac I've owned. Hopefully the growing pains I've had with this dac are done & it's reached a stable point. I can focus on my power issues now. 

@mattw73 That is exactly the outcome I expected. The Pontus 15th is essentially a scaled-down Venus 12th and is supposed to be top-notch, as several reviewers have raved about. The value proposition is strong—gear of that caliber would easily cost several grand if designed and manufactured here in the U.S. You certainly described the sound nicely.

Good news for you—if you're wondering where the 15th stands: A British Audiophile actually did the homework for everyone. He placed the Pontus 15th above the Gustard R26, Harmony DAC, and Holo Cyan 2, and rated it 'Outstanding'—his highest recommendation. He's one of the few 'trustworthy' reviewers I consistently follow for reliable information.  I don't believe any Topping Dac could compete with it.  The highly raved everSolo A8's internal Dac sounds flat image wise. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-BtA2XPiRU&t=532s

I too wonder how the 15th compares to the original Pontus II (which I own). Hard to say if it would be worthwhile to move up to the 15th or go directly to the Venus.

@ozzy62  I guess none of the Audiogoners here are able to address this good question, but Tarun, A British Audiophile, is one of the reviewers who closely traces the evolution of the Pontus and Venus DACs and could possibly offer some insights (see his first three videos). WaveTheory also provides some useful comparisons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-BtA2XPiRU&t=805s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA9GD7arBlw&t=173s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zw4l69HCA0&t=605s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PBnl5Jqwi4

@sls883 @mattw73 

I finally pulled the trigger on the µDAC. Right out of the box, it sounds pretty good. According to Harmony, the unit underwent a 100-hour powered-on test at the factory.  Soundstage is quite expansive—wider and taller (actually taller than any DAC I’ve heard, including the R26)—compared to the D90. Depth and layering are similar between the two.

The biggest contrast between these DACs is that the D90 offers pinpoint focus and finely outlined edges, leaving more distinctive space between instruments. In contrast, the µDAC, like other R2R DACs, has softer edges and a sound that fills in the space more naturally. When listened to in isolation, both DACs offer well-defined instrument separation.

Secondly, the µDAC’s midrange is richer and more seductive than that of the D90. Thirdly, I hear more micro-detail from the D90. Lastly, the µDAC has more bass presence, though it’s relatively softer and bolder, whereas the D90’s bass is more controlled and articulate.

Both DACs are in the same league—just as iiWi has noted in his review—but they present music differently. I like both. However, for classical music, I prefer the D90 slightly, primarily because it outlines notes better and offers greater instrument clarity and precise imaging.

Harmony also mentioned that many customers report further sonic improvement after about 200 hours of actual use. I suppose time will tell the µDAC’s ultimate capabilities. For now, I still notice a bit of harshness in poorly recorded tracks and hope it will smooth out over time. 

One thing that is sort of negative but completely normal is that the µDAC runs warmer than most DAC, sespecially chip-based ones, due to its discrete R-2R architecture and fully Class A analog output stage. I think the warmth is also attributable to its compact size and lack of heat sink.  According to Harmony, as long as it’s touchable and has space for ventilation, it’s well within safe operating limits and there’s no cause for concern.  Nevertheless, I am just concerned about the heat that will dry out the cap. more quickly over time.

@lanx0003 Congrats on the purchase.  Thanks for the very descriptive write up.  

Do you intend to try a clock or alternative power supply?