Are all R2R dacs slow and soft?

@roadcykler I am a firm believer that "bits are bits".  I was a software engineer for 50+ years and worked on mission critical banking communications systems.  The current estimate is that about 3*10^21 bits are moved over the internet each day, and, with error correction each resulting byte of data is received correctly.

However, the timing of when data is presented to the DAC chip(s) is critical, and with IIS the cable from source to DAC is a critical component (the clock is carried over the cable).  In particular, anomalously, ultra high bandwidth video HDMI cables can interact with the DAC and cause sound quality issues, perhaps ringing in the receiver or odd reflections.

In particular OP's HDMI cable appears to be knows as a potential problem.

traudio

I've never heard a single Denafrips DAC (Pontus II, Pontus 12th, Pontus 15th, Venus 12th, Venus 15th, Terminator 12th, Terminator 15th, Terminator Plus) that was "slow, rolled off, or soft". Especially as you go up the line, they are very detailed; but never harsh.

Maybe you don't like the R2R sound, which is certainly reasonable.....I don't like FPGA DACs, the Chord sound, I've hated every one I've ever heard. Doesn't mean they are bad, they just don't sound right to my ear

I'm taking a thought here, so here's my 2 cents: I think when you are inserting a different DAC into your system, replacing the matched pair of PS Audio, you are having compatibility issues with the HDMI I2S connection. It also may be possible that the DAC doesn't re-clock the incoming signal via the I2S input. Try using an AES/EBU (XLR) or Coaxial (RCA) connection to see if the issue disappears. R2R architecture should have nothing to do with "slowness".

I have a PSAudio Directstream DAC MkII feeding a Decware Zen Triode Jr. IntAmp. I switched out an Artisan solid silver interconnect for a GR Research multistranded interconnect (similar to Kimber) and 1) all brightness disappeared and 2) the bass was cleaned up with much better detail, depth, and musicality. There was little to no change in the midrange.

@audphile1 
"You can a quick test that will be relatively cheap and potentially cost you nothing. Pick up a trendnet 8 port 1G unmanaged switch and a 1m long LinkUp CAT8 ethernet cable and an iFi LAN iSilencer.
Connect your current in wall Ethernet cable to trendnet switch, connect the iFo LAN filter into AirLens and run a Linkup 1m cable from switch into iFi/AirLens.

This should clean up and improve the network feed into AirLens and in turn improve the sound. If it doesn’t, return it all back to amazon. 
But I think you will hear the difference with your components and your speakers."

I got the 3 components you suggested.

The iFi LAN silencer into the AirLens was first. This was the most effective. The backgrounds became quieter, and the imagining was a little more focused. There was also a tiny bit of softening of the sound, maybe taking the "sharp edges" off to put it in mechanical terms.

The switch and the cable were added next. Hmmm, nothing jumped or at me right away. Maybe nothing, maybe something. It’s going to take some more listening and swapping in and out to see.

The the isolator is a 2 thumbs up, thanks.