Best place to purchase a new Denafrips Pontus II

@ozzy62
Good question.  I've been comparing my laptop USB output to an unmodified Bluesound Node 2021 out via both coax and optical to the Hermes with Krakatoa PC (then I2S to Pontus II), and also connected directly to Pontus II via coax and optical.  All of those combinations for the Node sound pretty similar with a minor discernible edge when routing through the Hermes, but connecting the laptop to the Hermes with a cheap, thin USB cable is on another level.  Transients are much more defined.  I've been testing this with tracks that have very high pitch percussive sounds, such as triangles, chimes, and even the reverb itself that's been added to guitars/bass, synths, and sampled sound effects (a la Yosi Horikawa).  Laptop USB to Pontus II is quite nice too, but it's missing the various effects that really precise transients adds, IME.

Alvin says that I probably won’t notice a big difference with DDC since I am using a Lumin streamer. He says it is needed more when using a computer as a source. So if I do anything it would be to step up to the Venus II. But the Pontus sounds so good, I’m in no hurry to do that just yet.

BTW, are you using the Pontus in the NOS mode? Initially I thought NOS sounded better, but now that I’ve got a few hours on the Pontus, I prefer OS with the slow filter more often than not.

@ozzy62  yeah, OS with slow filter.  Detailed and natural sounding

i agree as well, os with slow filter best compromise

nos sound a little sloppy in comparison, os mode has enough musical 'density'