girishtd8262
Well-Known Member
Same here after going through you tube videos i was about to finalize deal for denafrips dac but somehow backed out and got auralic Vega dac.happy with it's performance
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Haha it reminds me of the childhood fairy tale- "The Emperor's New Clothes"More than upgraditis, it seems to be the case of the DAC not delivering the promised land. More a case of expectations not matching up with reality which is perhaps why everybody is upgrading to the Pontus II hoping that would be the answer.
Funny thing is, most people don't have the speakers to extract maximum performance from the DAC when conventional wisdom dictates it should be the other way round. Go figure!
P.s. - there was this other gentleman who created a specific thread recently for a DAC simply to build up it's hype by comparing it's likeness to a certain 16,000$ CD Player and stated, nay proclaimed unequivocally that he'd gone through the Chord Qutest, Denafrips Pontus etc etc and found his DAC to reign supreme and that it was "THE SOUND" he had been searching for. Once interest drummed up, he promptly put it up for sale within 2 months of purchase.
Exactly what I did. I Got the Qutest last month over the Aries II. Somehow I felt the Pontus was the minimum I should get in the Denafrips line up. This is the second time I have the Qutest in my system. Seems more value than ever.I had heard this and preferred the Chord qutest over it. I felt that a lot of details were masked/smeared with the Ares, especially when compared to the qutest. For the realtively small price difference between the 2 from the Indian retailer, I would recommend the qutest.
Cheers,
Sid
Two things , if you can kindly clarify : when you say Ares is analogue-ish, have you compared it to a proper analog source and amplification ( Turntable , a tube phono and a analog pressing LP at the very least ) and found the sound signature similar ?
- and if it is indeed analog sounding , how is it also neutral ? Analog sound is anything but neutral in my experience….
Thats a good chain, I am also thinking of getting the hestia or hades but the availability is a concernMy brother sold his Ares 2 not too long ago, I posted on his behalf in the classifieds. I know that he sold it because he got the Pontus and was so enamored with the R2R sound. He by the way was Chord fanboy, having owned the original Mojo he moved to the Qutest, now has the Mojo 2 on his desk for headphones (and I have his Qutest on loan ).
He certainly has the system capable enough (Sonus Faber Lumina, Denafrips Hestia - Parasound A21, Dual RELs et al) to quantify the 'upgrade' in sound from Ares to Pontus.
Thats very true! The fact that something has been put up for sale does not necessarily suggest that the product is not competent. Unfortunately for most of us, its a dart in the dark! If it works, we stick to it, else, the classifieds it is!I'm selling my ares ii because I like the sound of R2R and want to climb up the ladder ! , DAC isn't the only thing that will change the sound, there needs to be a proper synergy with the rest of the components, ( speakers, amps, cables, source)
It'd be great if you could share your experience with the Ares II and the chain you have deployed. That way, people hoping to climb the R2R ladder (see what I did there? ) would have a better idea about whether the device will have synergy with their components.my chain is perfect for R2R
What do you think about the Qutest compared to your RME?My brother sold his Ares 2 not too long ago, I posted on his behalf in the classifieds. I know that he sold it because he got the Pontus and was so enamored with the R2R sound. He by the way was Chord fanboy, having owned the original Mojo he moved to the Qutest, now has the Mojo 2 on his desk for headphones (and I have his Qutest on loan ).
With great respect, I'd say that's still rather debatable considering the price of the Pontus versus the Lumina.He certainly has the system capable enough (Sonus Faber Lumina, Denafrips Hestia - Parasound A21, Dual RELs et al) to quantify the 'upgrade' in sound from Ares to Pontus.
On a good, optimised TT setup , those things take just 5 seconds to be completely banished from the mind.Aha! There’s that word again. So, does that mean my CDs sound like LPs? Thankfully not! I’m really not a fan of snap, crackle, pop, hiss, hum and rumble.
I totally agree with you, ares II is a gateway to the world of R2R , many want to stop at the gateway and many of us want to take the next step, cos life is short and we would want to experience the better / finer things in life , this hobby is no exception, if i had a choice I'd retain my ares II my intent was that atleast it will let a fellow audiophile starting in this quest to experience the R2R magic instead of this sitting idle in my collection, if this whole idea is called dumping then I will take it off the sale and let people spent whole 90k on hpz and other audio portalsWhat’s this? Ares 2 bashing?? How dare you, chaps???
All jokes aside, there are a few points I’d like to make.
I’m not sure how well versed the OP is wrt semantics, but ‘dumped’ is a pretty strong word to use in the headline. I believe it’s a disservice to our fellow FMs who are genuinely upgrading their DACs for the next model up or something different. Using the word ‘dumped’ implies that they’re being disingenuous with their sale ad.
I would request the mods, @Nikhil or @arj, to kindly change the same.
While there are a ton of reviews on the Ares 2, I found the one linked below to be the most helpful in making my decision. Both pros and cons are presented in an unbiased manner, and you’re invited to make up your own mind.
On the subject at hand, selling the Ares 2 within a year of purchase, I have to say I’m tempted to do the same. Why? Because I want more of the same! Which is to say, I’m genuinely lusting after the Pontus II I’ve been using CDPs for the last 32 years and my CDs have never sounded more analogue than with the Ares 2.
Aha! There’s that word again. So, does that mean my CDs sound like LPs? Thankfully not! I’m really not a fan of snap, crackle, pop, hiss, hum and rumble. What I do mean is that there is no hint of digital glare. Music ebbs and flows in a lifelike manner, and the soundstage is wider and deeper.
Is the Ares 2 sound signature to your taste? That’s something you’ll have to judge for yourself, either by listening to one or by reading between the lines. I did the latter, and it worked out well for me. The only problem I have with the Ares 2 is that it’s a gateway drug!
Ahhh! But the power of audio compels you!I totally agree with you, ares II is a gateway to the world of R2R , many want to stop at the gateway and many of us want to take the next step, cos life is short and we would want to experience the better / finer things in life , this hobby is no exception, if i had a choice I'd retain my ares II
Oh No! Not that! What would HFV be without the magnanimity of kind folk!my intent was that atleast it will let a fellow audiophile starting in this quest to experience the R2R magic instead of this sitting idle in my collection, if this whole idea is called dumping then I will take it off the sale and let people spent whole 90k on hpz and other audio portals
Never discourage a fellow member from buying any gear. It'll eventually find its way to the classifieds and then we have a wide variety of gear at a palatable price to choose from.And for those saving up for the Pontus 2 , check this out (one of the handful reviewers who buys his stuff with his own money )… and it is not a very favourable review. YMMV and all that …