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

Thread for OWNER IMPRESSIONS, FEEDBACK, QUESTIONS, ETC. regarding DENAFRIPS DACs.

DENAFRIPS lists the following R2R DACs:

Ares, Pontus, Venus, and Terminator (in increasing price order).

"DENAFRIPS incorporated in year 2012, focus in developing high end audio equipment at a very affordable price. Throughout the years of intense Research & Development, and continuous improvement of the product lines, DENAFRIPS had finally settled with the current product range equipped with R-2R ladder DAC technology. The reason behind this is the designer strongly believe that R-2R DAC is the best way to reproduce music.

The name, DENAFRIPS, stand for:

D-ynamic
E-xquisite
N-atural
A-ttractive
F-idelity
R-efined
I-ntoxicating
P-ure
S-ophisticated

This mean a lot and it is the house-sound of all DENAFRIPS products." [Copied From Denafrips About Us section]
david_ten
73max
46 posts
 
Thanks David. I haven’t addressed the hiss issue with Alvin yet. It is intermittent, but usually happens at least once a listening session and resets easily. At first I was just thinking this is part of digital audio, but lately I’m starting to think otherwise. Maybe I will contact him.

It typically happens when switching to a new album at a different sample rate. Not 100% sure that it hasn’t happened at other times, I need to evaluate this more closely.


The only digital source I have is my nucleus+ and no other way to feed it besides USB.
As for the board, it had the latest version when I purchased it last November. I don’t think there has been an update since then, has there? Is there a post that shows what the newest board looks like so I can take a look inside?
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
@73max  Definitely connect with Alvin. 

If you purchased in November (and it was a pre Nov. unit), there is a newer board available. Check a few posts up. Post by Alvin on 5/2. He should be able to let you know if you have the latest one or not.

You can also look at the board pics on the Denafrips site to determine for yourself. It's a simple removal of the top plate...two screws have to be removed...directions are on the site.

Also, try switching to another USB cable, as a simple test to eliminate the cable as being the issue (though it's unlikely to be, in my opinion). 
73max
46 posts
 
Thanks again David. Of course, it has to be an intermittent problem. The most difficult to resolve. Might not happen again for another week, might happen twice tonight. Very difficult to troubleshoot unless you can monitor 24 seven for days if not weeks.

When I bought it, the new board had just gone up for sale, I asked Alvin about it prior to purchase and he said mine would ship with the latest. I was not aware that there were three boards as you said. Any approximate timeline on when the second came out?
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
Going off memory here, so I'm not a hundred percent certain....

The original (first board) when the Terminator was initially released.

The second board approximately one year (~ a year +) ago.
luisma31
516 posts
 
Latest board was released about 1 month ago? or so .... it is pretty much the same in terms of upsampling.
the "artifacts" you are experiencing, are you by any chance using HQPlayer or the upsampling capabilities within Roon?
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