Denafrips Pontus 15th R-2R DAC Teardown reveals SURPRISES! Best Audiophile R-2R DAC Under $2000?

[@Jayiyagi]

*Don't forget to consider supporting the Kickstarter for a chance to win the Pontus 15th R-2R DAC! or should I say the Venus 12th 🤔* Songe Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1669379432/songe-le-violoncelle-au-coeur-dune-reverie *Some of the following may be affiliate links* Denafrips Pontus 15th DAC: www.denafrips.com/product-page/denafrips-pontus-15th-r2r-dac?ref=JAYLEE Denafrips Venus 15th DAC: www.denafrips.com/product-page/denafrips-venus-15th-dac-pre-oder?ref=JAYLEE Other Denafrips DACs: www.denafrips.com/category/dac?ref=JAYLEE LAIV Harmony DAC: www.laiv.audio/product-page/harmony-dac (use code: *jayiyagiofficial* for $50 off) Holo Audio DACs: www.kitsunehifi.com/product-category/brands/holo-audio/ Related Videos: Podcast with Vincent about Songe: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqWnqGeMfrqcf7s Shanling ET3 Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGWpkoCCgrJgd5Y Aric Tube Motherlode XL Pre-amp review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5qYpqWalLCii5osi=rBL7GXlcKdCOYsMX AGD Audion Monoblock review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGfFfal5dtCffs0si=eocz71tbsWR4RqZD MonAcoustic Platimon revisited: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3KTaKtndq55l9U MonAcoustic Platimon review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZuncmalbN2Imacsi=xvO9t3lck5V3VDww Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: kzbin.info/aero/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0 Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM 0:00 Songe Kickstarter 0:57 Throw back: Denafrips Pontus R-2R DAC 2:45 Is the Pontus 15th DAC an UPGRADE? 7:11 Vinshine Audio Farewell to Denafrips 8:39 Denafrips Build Quality & Features 14:23 Denafrips Sound Quality Review 19:00 Holo Audio VS LAIV VS Denafrips DACs #hifi #audiophile #homeaudio

[@gerihifi]

Done, exciting to receive the finale album, good luck! 😊

[@vincentbelanger5078]

@@gerihifimany thanks!

[@wa2368]

Oh yeah. i'll buy without Vinshine Audio, just say not to middlemen.

[@AryanC130]

@Jayiyagi The bass actually comes after 4 months from Pontus 😅

[@nicklaplaca8438]

When do you plan to give away the Pontus?

[@audiorick841]

Love it when you make multiple comparisons, it gives us a point of reference.

[@BruceCross]

Yes, unlike most audio magazines, which are clearly afraid to anger any of their advertisers.

[@DigitalGrease]

Great summarizing of the current state of DACs in this price bracket! Exactly what I was looking for. Your characterization of system matching is EXCELLENT. Thank you!

[@jazzlouise]

Nice review Jay. Now we need a Venus 15 review! I like your comments relative to which system and DAC's you should use which is very helpfu.

[@vincentbelanger3891]

Thanks Jay for your support.

[@christian2123]

I ordered my copy yesterday!

[@sygnus2164]

I ordered mine today. Will be curious to see how it stacks up against the 12th-1, which I'll be selling at a later date.

[@marcgoldstein2957]

Alvin (Vinshine) was the face of Denafrips, a no-nonsense person you would trust with your kids. This is something Denafrips will have to address, even though there's no reason it would affect the quality of their products. I've had the Pontus II and Gaia DDC for over 2 years and I just love this brand.

[@TriAmpMyFi]

. I wish this was made in the USA but as long as they keep building these DACs at these prices, Denafrips need not worry about Alvin's face. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊

[@hemispherecompensation]

Is he? He dropped Denafrips for Laiv, which was formed by ex-Denafrips employees. More like, he stole your kids to set up his own shop. Greed.

[@ptg01]

@@hemispherecompensation I highly doubt it. I find Alvin as a man of the highest integrity. I can sense some disappointment in his video announcing the parting of ways. Same thing happened to OCD Mikey (USA based) where Mikey did not want to kowtow to Denafrips so they parted ways.. and OCD Mikey REFUSES to carry anything made in China anymore... A shame but that's his right. Sadly, I wish business ethics is valued by these manufacturers...

[@D1N02]

@@hemispherecompensation who are you to judge?

@hemispherecompensation Is this true? Where did you get the news? I doubt it.

[@shawnpwatsons1]

I agree. This was the way to go. Consumers win all the way around. Bravo Denefrips!

[@dtdcampbell]

Will be debating between Pontus and Cyan 2 for a future purchase.

[@carminedesanto6746]

I’ve gotten off the DAC merry go round… I’m at the Denafrips Ares 12-1 DAC …and I’m good ……for now .😅 Pleasure meeting you again at Toronto Audiofest this past October. As for the kick starter..I’ll be in 👍👍

[@bobb.9917]

Yeah..I have the original Pontus II with original firmware in a warmer system. I also have a recently-added Denafrips Iris DDC (with an LHY Linear Power Supply) attached to my Pontus via I²S and I think it sounds GREAT. Not sure how much better this Pontus 15th could sound over what I currently have ...but thanks for this upgraded Pontus Tutorial....It's been VERY informative and keeps me apprised of transitions in my current gear...It is always fun to learn and see positive change....(Maybe the upcoming Venus 15th would be a upgrade for me to look forward to! )

[@ericlarsen1721]

Jay, I love your "sommelier" approach in this review. With high end components, it really comes down to system synergy rather than a blanket "this is better than that".

[@heinzbecker691]

Yea, pontus is now basicly a venus 2 12th. I baught a Venus 15th...i already have a venus 2 12th but the venus 15th is basicly a T2!!! With all discounts i am at 3370€ for a Termintaor 2 Dac is crazy!

[@joenogueira2801]

You'd be very pissed off if you had just purchased a T2 before the Venus 15th came out!

[@heinzbecker691]

@@joenogueira2801 I was realy pissed as they launched the venus 2 12th.1...i didnt get this step at all. Was waiting a real long time till something new comes up and than it get replaced after half a year...was also waiting for new ddcs and bought the hermes 12th. Lately i baught a used terra master clock and the hermes realy improved and a switched from OS to NOS mode...the lag of detail was gone...almost to many details with the better clock...to much forward but with nos mode its realy nice. Im looking forward to get my venus 15th...its already on the way...but the downside is, my old venus 2 12th isnt that valuable anymore...but its still the better dac than the pontus 15th. higher quality caps and parts inside.

[@dieselbrodeur]

It’s not a Venus II, less tolerance on the resistors , 24bit DAC instead of 26 etc. But it’s based partly on the Venus. You see this even clearer on the new Venus since it’s in the bigger Terminator box.

[@Franky2A3]

I’ve been listening to you for the past few years and really appreciate your insights. Just a quick point about XLR connections. If your amplifier is fully balanced and differential, I’d recommend using XLR cables regardless of the cable length. As someone who has been building tube amps for many years and conducting lots of A/B testing, I’ve found that the best-sounding tube amplifiers, in my opinion, are those that avoid RC coupling altogether, regardless of how high-end the capacitors might be.

[@terryhu57]

Thanks!😊

[@Jayiyagi]

Thank you!🙏

[@dannymunroe6996]

Greetings J, I never get board nor less appreciative of your honesty & unbiased listening test,thank you...🇯🇲🇯🇲🇬🇧👊🏾.

[@justinbennitt835]

It's now almost a Venus II (11th or earlier) with the exception of the R2R ladder resistor tolerance in the Venus is 0.005%, they're 0.01% in the Pontus range.

[@marek1757]

Did soemone compared it with the Wavelight dac ?

[@pongyang8705]

Backed the Kickstarter with a CD. Thanks for supporting Vincent in HIS musical journey.

[@viljamim3265]

What filter settings did you use? My Venus 2 12th came with the sharp filter enabled as the default. I needed to change it for my A8 to get the best out of the combo. There was some annoying high frequencies otherwise present. Thank you so much for this video. I've been stressing about the warranty so much with not having the Vinshine in the loop now. I sincerely hope this video reaches out to the Denafrips. Much appreciated 🙏

[@carminedesanto6746]

GM☕️🍩 I finally got into the Kickstarter 👍 This is going to be freak’n awesome. Btw,Conversation is a phenomenal album 😊

[@damayor62]

Outstanding as always Jay. I'm a budgetphile and recently bought an Enyo 15th (My first R2R DAC) and I was blown away by how much better it was vs. my SMSL, Topping & Schiit DACs. The layout of my room has the speakers 15 ft apart and I'm 12 ft away from their them. The Enyo filled in all 15 ft and added depth for the first time ever. Consider me a Denafrips fan going forward. Thank you and keep up the great work. You rock!

[@arrowzen7433]

I think I get what you mean with “sweetness” - I call it lifelike. It happens I believe when timber is natural and note weight, resolution/detail and imaging is on point.

[@ThaBridge1]

Thank you for another great review; bought a few gear on these. How would it compares to the original Terminator? Makes me wonder😊

[@FunklesFunk]

Will the venus 15th then have the inside of the terminator ?😮

[@marktrivette4272]

Love my Pontus II 12th, won’t be upgrading to 15th. Fed by an IRIS DDC, not a 12th Anniversary, won’t be updating that or my Forte IIIs to IVs. Actually very happy with my #1 rig, imagine that!! Pontus 15th a good option for someone upgrading overall system, e.g., delta sigma to R2R, or Ares to Pontus. 15th Anniversary looks to be a great buy on a Venus in Pontus clothing. Love the Denafrips R2R house sound, organic detailed, non-fatiguing analog like presentation with no tape hiss or vinyl cracks and pops!

[@aceofspades6667]

I too am a fan of cellists. Love the dead south a Canadian bluegrass band from Regina. Danny Kenyon plays a mean cello in place of the traditional stand up bass.

[@robertwang7825]

It is good to know that they keep improving their products , for the same price. It looks like they are giving a better bang for the buck.

[@Jean-baptisteBarre-nq8nj]

Hello Jay ! Wich one you would recommend with a Sugden A21SE class A ? Pair with An-J LX ? Thank you 😊

[@danielbulcsupekh7922]

I will choose either this or the Gustard x30. Have you heard the later yet?

[@rocko6746]

Thx for the video, great as always. The collection will look great framed on my wall!

[@jesseayala3093]

I’m looking into purchasing the Pontus. I’m actually glad I waited, I can get the Venus in the Pontus package. We need a video on cables. Need some guidance on types of cables, speaker, power, and all other cables. I don’t want too ton of money if not needed.

[@areks.6101]

Good stuff Jay, as always. I do have a feeling that while this review is being filmed, Denafrips is already working on Pontus 18th Gen.

[@Jayiyagi]

I think they should really focus on getting all the changes together for an update more significant every few years, not every year like it is now

[@1324390]

@@Jayiyagi At least they're doing it less frequently than SMSL. Those folks launch their DAC of the Month regularly !

[@wouterkolkman]

Thanks for ‘lifting the lid’ Jay. Good to see that Denafrips still produce excellent products. I agree with the points you make about the brand. My setup comprises of the original T+, Gaia DDC and Athena pre amplifier, now Shanling ET3 and Roon via MacMini, active ATC 50 loudspeakers. Lack of a remote has been no issue with equipment within easy reach and balanced cables throughout. Looking at the Venus 15 pictures - it looks identical to the Terminator. I feel the customer engagement has taken a drop with taking Vinshine out of the loop. I flagged up the basics of the new Denafrips website looking all over the place when browsing with an iPad, which they only recently fixed. As an aside on the ET3: in my setup it worked even better connected via the DDC via optical with 4x over sampling than a direct I2S connection to the DAC.

[@milkman100001]

hey Jay.i know you like the ps audio gold dac. as a bhk mk2 owner, ps audio has just realised their next upgrade firmware. in my opinion a massive step forward.it was already good.but now ,to me it now sounds like a 15 - 20 grand dac.you need to get one in for review.just a heads up. cheers

[@djradman6794]

Jay how would you compare the Pontus 15th to the hifi rose 250?

[@MsCorbacho]

Love to still see consumers get more for their money by some brands , denafrips being for sure one of them .

[@fletchermunson6225]

What I wanted and didn't hear is a direct comparison with the Pontus II or 12th anniversary to the 15th. That would be critical to deciding to upgrade or not. This just made me confused on this issue. Not going to spend another $2k if I dont know how it compares to my Pontus II with 12 upgrade.

[@mrpmj00]

and with the Denafrips Iris 12th ddc

[@Jayiyagi]

Pontus II and 12th gen is warmer than the 15th. 15th gives you an illusion of a better resolution with it's more airy/transparent sound. I'd say it's closer to what I've experienced with the Terminator and the Terminator plus than the Pontus generations

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@Jayiyagi Thank You. Appreciate it.

[@janulik9535]

Thank you for the review. Namely for comparison to A10 and mentioning the rca is ok to use.

[@abxaudiophiles]

Very nice rundown and review Jay! Lots of good information in here guys! Well covered well reviewed!🎉🎉😊😊

[@kennethlarsen3687]

Great review I just got mine, and to a start it only improves the sound quality a little bit. Maybe it will improve…. (I use Primare I32 and CD32 with Audiovector R 6 Arreté. ) I have a question; my IsoTek power cable doesn’t really fit in the Pontus - so I have to use a standard cheap cable. Which quality cable do you use?

[@noseonscent1935]

Jay I love your channel and what you do for sure! But technically speaking these are not “generations “ but years the DACS have existed so like a fine wine vintage. 12th was the 12th year those dacs were made not generations. Generations in hardware do occur but usually have massive changes even to the looks and layout and hardware software. Anyhow Cheers!

[@steveaiello8025]

Recent heard the PS Audio Stellar Gold DAC with the AirLens streamer. Noticed you did a review of that pairing and seemed to really like the DAC. Can you give an opinion of how Denefrips Pontus 15 compares PS Audio Stellar Gold DAC? Would be using one of these into a PS Audio Amp.

[@dacatman2518]

1. How does this compare to an MSB DAC? 2. Do you have a recommendation for a hi-end $5-15K tube dac? Or is solid state perfectly OK?

[@to_the_limits3256]

I am looking forward to watching the video and I would be interested to know when the Arendal Bookshelf 8 will be released❤❤

[@Jayiyagi]

very soon!

[@declin_ro3823]

hi JHay, what XLR cables were those connected to Denafrips ?

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Jay mentioned they upgraded the clock. What clock is being used? Looked like it might be Accusilicon AS338

[@acaciomadeira5147]

I'm curious what are your personal subs your using right now for your own system I see ardenal subs in the video which ardenal is that, you hot one stacked on top of the other

[@psyphonyxaudio]

Awesome power supply.

[@esylsten]

I have a Denafrips Terminator 15th coming, from a US Dealer in Maryland. He told me it is really the "old" Terminator Plus now. Hopefully Denafrips loostens the wallet and releases one for your review Jay, I think you do an excellent job of describing the sound for possible buyers. My Termi is replacing a 3 year old Venus II. Thank you for the review.

[@Jayiyagi]

I reviewed the "old" Terminator Plus so not sure if I'd want to review the Terminator 15th if this is the case. Might be too redundant. The Pontus 15th made sense since I never reviewed the Venus 12th.

[@byronb.]

Great channel. Glad to see Jay reviewing gear curated by Mike Powell aka OCD HiFi Guy. I just think there is too much bookshelf speaker coverage here. Bookshelfs are a compromise, like integrated amplifiers. Best for use in the office or bedroom. I don't really need a KZbinr for that kind of advice. I need advice on floorstanders, DACs and amplifiers. This is just my opinion. Thanks for the coverage!

[@BrotherNkosi]

Hi Jay Thanks as always. One quick question. The board on the bottom of the Pontus 15th , is that a Venus board or Venus ll ? Thanks

[@Jayiyagi]

it says PVenus12th so I am assuming the Venus 12th anniversary

[@BrotherNkosi]

@@Jayiyagi Thanks Jay . Damn, now I have to go spend money.. LOL

[@RodneyForcier]

good idea putting the iso pucks under the bookshelves👍

[@dominich.9745]

As a mostly headphone guy using the IFI PRO ICAN amp what would you recommend for a Dac?Thank you.

[@sygnus2164]

Actually that "PVENUS 12th" is also printed on my Denafrips Pontus II 12th-1 board as well, so I'm more of the opinion those boards are just interchangeable common parts, and NOT necessarily an indicator of a Pontus turned Venus. If you don't believe me, open your Pontus 12th-1 and have a look yourself. This is NOT to say the Pontus 15th isn't an improvement, I certainly want one, but I'd pump the breaks on it being a Venus clone.

[@Firebottleman]

It's the 15th ANNIVERSARY Jay. Not the 15th generation

[@AudioWinter]

What a great review, by any chance will you be reviewing the Hifi Rose RD160 DAC??? Keep up the excellent work.

[@Jayiyagi]

maybe! Thanks

[@backrack01]

Really hoping you get the Venus 15 in and up the chain. So much confusion. Denaphrips hasn't handled this recent approach very well.

[@chelillingworth9466]

Pontus 15 or ANK 2.1 signature? I am having a hard time making up my mind.

[@quysweat]

I am on the same boat. I was going for the Ank 2.1 then this video came out

[@Jayiyagi]

actually I have requested their dac for review and have been waiting to compare

[@chelillingworth9466]

@Jayiyagi I was referring to the audio note kit 2.1, wasn't that the one that you did the video on which was "my favorite high-end dac for half the price"

[@bristolwoodburners81]

Is the Jay's Iyagi official playlist a public offering? - cant find it in a tidal search

[@NawMan357]

I actually sold my Pontus II 12th because Denafrips kept jacking round on these changes. Just wasn’t sure if that would affect the resale value. I hate the fact that it caused me to panic sale it. Oh well. So I then purchased the Schiit Yggdrasil A2 OG. Needless to say… Denafrips (at least the Pontus) has the DAC side of audio on lock down!!!😳😳😬😬

[@dylankirkpatrick9522]

I agree, I would rather the upgrade path be getting more for a similar amount of money

[@quysweat]

Hi Jay, how would you compare the Ventus 15 vs Ank 2.1? These 2 are around the same price and I am deciding.

[@Jayiyagi]

I have requested it for review and waiting to compare

[@chengo51]

Will you review the Atoll ST300 ?

[@jackfalco5351]

When you talk of the original Pontus, do you mean the Pontus II or it’s predecessor

[@Jayiyagi]

Original. Pontus OG

[@petekutheis3822]

Love Youn! Great system testing track. Her rendition of Enter Sandman is just feakin awesome.

[@jamesminotto8036]

Jay, what 'feet' are you using to isolate your DAC please? Thank you. JM

[@Jayiyagi]

isoacoustic

[@MartinHAndersen]

amazing build quality

[@ExPsycHo]

Hi there, good review, one question please, between Laiv Harmony and the Phontus 15th for my Hegel h390, what do you think wich will be the best match? Thanks a lot.

[@Jayiyagi]

I believe the Pontus for the Hegel is a better balance but that's just me

[@fletchermunson6225]

What about the 16th edition to come for the DAC of the month club? Well, I'm considering it. I asked them about substituting the BNC input for a RCA, if you remember the early Ares had two RCA inputs, the cost is an addition al $99.

[@paulmunoz54]

The Pontus 15 is $3450 In Australia phfffft The used Pontus 2 is selling for $1850-$2300 If you can find one !! Where does leave me ? Well it leaves me and a lot of other people buying other dacs at reasonable prices .

[@stevenwilliams6258]

Now I'm curious about my Venus II and it's upgrade. I could not justify the price of the Terminator of that time without hearing it. It was a fair amount larger too. I played with reclockers and my Gaia is in storage for lack of rack space. I was curious about clocking with the Terminator but couldn't hear one.

[@WelkySchullin]

Would love to know your opinion on Audio-GD. Thx

[@mrt6349]

I was sold on the Pontus 15th but then it was compared to may and laiv dacs, so now i am confused on what to get :) I got a Rega Aethos and the triangle magellan duettos sw2 speakers and i use a bluesound node n130. If any of you got a suggestion let me hear it, i am abit treble sensetive and would love to dial it a bit down.

[@Jayiyagi]

Personally I’d go with LAIV harmony in your case.

[@dieselbrodeur]

It’s not a Venus II 12th in disguise. The Resistors in the R2R ladder has less accuracy, the DAC is 24bit not 26 etc. The new Pontus also weighs considerably more than the Venus II.

[@MG-iv8oo]

my decision: pontus 15 in a pass labs int-60/totem arro system. given your knowledge of totem, i am interested in your thoughts. of course, the venus 15 is due out which as you say may be a trickle down terminator. i haven't given the laiv much thought until your review, so that is a legit option as well. any thoughts appreciated. todd at tek audio is the US hub (austin, tx) for sales and service for denafrips. he has been very responsive and helpful as i have inquired about his operation and have had several questions about denfrips product line.

[@doj9370]

Why did you wait for 16 mins before you got to the real point, which was pushing the Laiv day. You people are incredible.

[@jamesswilleyamericasaudito7017]

Denifraos new flagship model will be called - Titanic!!

[@jakobgooijer]

I own a Pontus II ( incl firmware upgrade )with a Hermes DDC . I understand this brings you closer to the qualities of the Venus II, but i can be wrong

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

The denafrips DACs are balanced, so you will not fully utilize it unless you use the XLR outputs.

[@Jayiyagi]

sure but sonically I thought both rca and xlr sounded the same

[@EricRhodeslives]

@@Jayiyagi that speaks well of their output stage.

[@stephencosta6814]

❤❤❤ hello Jay longtime friend of yours here. Would you recommend this DAC with the Griffin Diablo 120 integrated amplifier? A lot of reviewers say it’s a little bit on the dark side. Will just bring it up more to a neutral more sparkle in the treble clearer mid range. Your suggestion is very valuable to me.❤❤❤❤❤ thank you

[@Jayiyagi]

I think so!

[@nickolaymiltenov]

Didn't you say once that you have sold all your Chinese dacs? What made you buy again?

[@justasimplefox]

💰😊

[@Jayiyagi]

if you watched that video, you'd know that I said I wasn't referring to R-2R DACs like Denafrips or Holo Audio

[@RigVader]

Pontus II with OG firmware has been widely reviewed to be the more full bodied of the line up (predating 12 and 15th generations). One of the things I disliked in my Ares2 was the lean lower mids and forwardness and the Pontus II was the total cure. So while it makes sense to improve quality for money and bring the Pontus in line with the general Denafrips house sound, I do think it’s a shame that this sound signature option is now gone. I’ll be keeping my Pontus II or if I do upgrade it will likely be to another brand.

[@hificonspiracy]

Hi Jay, Did you notice what opamp is being used in the output stage of the Pontus 15th? Thank you! Great video as always!

[@Jayiyagi]

Oh god. I couldnt tell you. I didnt look that close 😢

[@hificonspiracy]

@@Jayiyagi My hope is when a consumer is making a purchase at this level that the manufacture is using a discrete output or at least a very high quality op-amp. Too often I see manufactures utilizing generic 40 year old N5532 or N5534 op-amps in their output stage while asking top-shelf prices. It's my audio pet-peeve and just drives me nuts! The Pontus 15th looks like such a nice product my hope they didn't skimp on the output stage. LAiV audio tells me they don't use ANY opamps in Harmony DACs output. I'm not sure how they do this and I know its a different price point but could explain the difference in sound you hear. I do sure appreciate the Pontus build quality!

[@royhuijsmans6117]

Again a Nice videoI like the build quality, and keep that solid and simple, I wanna pay for sound and quality not for expansive blingbling designs.

[@liamporter1137]

Another great review. Yeah, Denafrips should do better in the look department so that their gears can be more furniture look. They should also provide remote control.

[@Coneman3]

I find it unusual this upgrading of mid tier products. You’d think they’d focus on the flagship model more. Of course, they are playing to people with different budgets.

[@EricRhodeslives]

I bought it. I like it a lot. I feel bad for Alvin. But what are we gonna do? 😢 I also like the Laiv. Too many dacs. Lol.

[@pjlett5688]

Denafrips still stands by the products the pontus 15 is slightly warm where you get your hearing from ? I put side by side with the LAIV dac and even if the pontus was $3k it’s built great and sounds good and my system is not warm sounding before installing the dac it’s very well balanced all around.

[@carminedesanto6746]

Damn,can’t get into the Kickstarter 🤬

[@ptg01]

I think owners of Denafrips are a bit shady... To blow off Alvin Chee of Vinshine Audio was just stunning.... Alvin put Denafrips on the map and he is absolutely a man of HIGHEST integrity. Love the product, do not like the owners / culture of the organization.....

[@Jayiyagi]

Such a shame…

[@fatdoi003]

we don't know what's behind the story so to start bad mouthing on people we have no information on is quite unfair a bias

[@mattsev9134]

Alvin is no doubt amazing, but at the end of the day it was most likely a business decision that Denafrips had every right to make. If their support system is problematic and they lose customers because of it, then they'll have to suffer the consequences of that decision. I am happy that Alvin and Vinshine did at least pick up Laiv though.

[@ptg01]

@@fatdoi003 Same thing happened with OCD Mikey a few years ago... Shady business practices that Mikey is not willing to 'play'.

[@ptg01]

@@mattsev9134 Likewise.. will seriously look into it and get rid of my Denafrips.. I can't stand companies with low ethics.

[@Hare_deLune]

Possible greed and other factors aside, I wish more of the lower tier power amplifiers were built with this kind of quality and attention to detail.

[@Woofy-tm8si]

I think it's an insane upgrade! For literally three hundred bucks more than what I paid for my Pontus II, it's a steal!

[@Pete.across.the.street]

I think its the 5th generation, 15th anniversary.

[@epos79]

Too bad, I have a very revealing and forward system, speakers similar to a focal kanta, so i guess i have to get the holo may spring then, thanks for this informative review cheers

[@fatdoi003]

Venus 15th has gone up to Terminator size... i'd say it's a last gen Terminator.... it has OCXO and clock sync at the back when last gen there's not

[@Jayiyagi]

we shall find out!

[@octothorpe12]

Actual customers didn't have a problem shelling out the money for the product. The notion that they should lower prices because they got rid of their distribution is dumb. The market is the market. That they gave a huge boost to the 15th gen is a gigantic BONUS, and a BIG 'thank you' to their base.

[@Wharariki]

The timing coincided pretty closely with LAiV entering the market, with all its rave reviews (hype train if you wish to call it that), so it feels to me as much a competitive response as anything.

[@neilrobins3329]

Just purchased the CD hoping I win the pontis 15th in the giveaway🤞an amazing DAC!

[@vincentbelanger3891]

Thanks!

[@jissanhuq3792]

Aren’t all these DACs just doing their own EQ n coloring? Shouldn’t a DAC not have any effect on the source besides resolution as a transport ?

[@MsCorbacho]

Would love to get in the Kickstarter , but unfortunely life does not permite me now !

[@MsCorbacho]

but, the most sincere wishes of good luck for this project .

[@vincentbelanger5078]

@@MsCorbachomany thanks! 🙏

[@ianwilliams7740]

the latest absolute hype train that every KZbinr has been given one to spruke