Started with an Ares. Moved up to the Pontus and currently using a Terminator Plus. The step up from the Ares to Pontus was huge and definitely worth the difference in $$$ to me. Better everything; sound stage, detail, musicality all improves considerably. If you were to get an Ares you’d probably end up moving up the line so my advise would be to start with a Pontus, assuming it’s in the budget.
??? Denafrips Pontus 15th vs Ares 15th.???
Ground up rebuild of my end of life system nearly complete..
Furman PST-8 > Dedicated & optimized Lenova Thinkpad 1i > Pangea Premier SE USB cable (6% silver plated OFC) > Pathos Classic Remix Mk.II ( 1962 Amperex Holland Orange Globe 6922 & Nordost Red Dawn Leif power cable) w/HiDAC Mk.II module (ESS 9018) plugged into an APC H10 stabilizer/surge protection> Tellurium Q "Black II cables & BiWire jumpers > ProAc Response D2D (latest build )...
I want to add a more organic,warmer DAC & have narrowed it down to one of these 2 Denafrips R2R DACS...
I am not a super critical listener,more a music lover who revels in everything that is happening in a song..Sometimes I focus on specific instruments or listen for the super low level details but I'm not anal about that..I do love a wide,deep soundstage...
My budget would allow for the Pontus 15th.but I'm unsure if I am the kind of listener who will really notice the difference between it and the Ares 15th..I realize the Pontus is a considerable step up in price,build quality & parts but don't want to throw $ at something I wouldn't really benifit from when I could get 90% of it's performance for many hundreds of $ less...
I guess I'm looking for validation that my system is capable of extracting the benifits of the more expensive DAC & I won't have to rack my brain to actually hear it..So Audiogon'ers,what is your opinion on this matter?
Thanks much,take care & happy holidays to you & yours...
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@calieng I really like that Cyan but the automatic input switching problems reported make it a no go..You do have a point about the size & weight of the PII,man that thing is a BEAST! |
- 25 posts total