Help choosing a DAC


Hi folks, need some help choosing a DAC, hoping you all can help me reach a decision. My current system is as follows:

  1. Magnepan 1.7i
  2. Conrad-Johnson Classic 2 SE Preamp
  3. C-J MF2250 SE AMP
  4. OPPO 105D
  5. Cardas, Transparent cabling
  6. REL S3SHO sub woofer

Considering this setup, would you all choose the Denafrips Pontus or the Venus. I reached out to Vinshine and they said, if you are a music lover then choose Pontus, if you are a critical listener then choose Venus. I am both ? Please help me decide, is it worth stepping up to the Venus. Also my purchase philosophy is BIFL (Buy It For Life), not sure if that helps in giving me some advise. Thank you all.

 


 

shrapnel

I had a CJ cav45 S2 with the Pontus and borrowed a Venus and I can relate to Vishines thoughts between the two. I think the Pontus has the relaxed character of the CJ. Venus is just a little different. If you are trying to branch out from CJ sound Venus may be the one. If you get the Pontus get the Iris or the Hermès. It’s a must have for me. I does clean up the Pontus but in a good way. 

op

i trust you have seen my long thread on dacs i have tried (and commented on in length) on this board

i run a similar system as yours

i would say buy a used pontus 2 used at a good price ($1200-1400), try it, and you can resell it dollar for dollar if you think you want a little more overt treble detail and touch less midrange/midbass warmth (that is what a venus 2 will give you), then you wait for a venus 2 to show up used

don’t get sucked into denafrips' latest or 12th edition 12-1 12-2 etc etc all that abject nonsense (which is what it is) -- pontus 2 or venus 2 is what you should look for if you want value for $ spent on denafrips gear

 

I owned both Denafrips Terminator 2 and Pontus 2. 
The Terminator checked all the audiophile boxes but I found Pontus to be more musical and engaging. Buy it used and you can sell it for pretty much what you paid for it. Good luck!

shrapnel,

you could try the Wyred4sound 10th anniversary DAC, one of the reviewers put it up against his VPI turntable with a $5,000 Japanese cartridge on it and he said that the 10th anniversary DAC was every bit as analog sounding, on that review I bought it, it's $4,500 US and I totally agree it is the most analog DAC that I've had in my system and they have a 30-day trial period if you don't like it you can send it back and get all your money back.