The Best DAC Award - Denafrips Ares 2 R2R DAC review

This is my Denafrips Ares 2 DAC review. It has won the Next Best Thing Studio Award with its outstanding performance that outclasses many of the DACs.
Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - nbtsmedia.com/about-us/
for more detailed review, please check out our written reviews at nbtsmedia.com
denafrips ares 2: (USA) amzn.to/35eHwCo
(Canada) amzn.to/36sBVIN
www.denafrips.com/ares
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[@Jayiyagi]

Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - nbtsmedia.com/about-us/

[@luciodelgado]

As usual, straight forward, simple and to the point! I enjoy your review! Excellent channel!

[@Jayiyagi]

Thank you !

[@jual-rakid]

@@Jayiyagi hey, soulsik, an important question, if i use this dac and use less expensive amp (for signal amplification purpose only) will it have no/little effect? as in using more expensive amp for the same purpose? im tired of buying more amp and see little improvement

[@thisrocks]

Last night I fell asleep before I could do a search on this dac, glad I did because this is what I wanted to hear 😂

[@Jayiyagi]

Cool ! It was meant to be

[@sherpadelgatos]

my dream system: roon>minidsp shd studio>denafrips ares ii>hegel h90>magnepan lrs and two rel subs. thanks for the review. this dac looks to be a great value

[@linnemeyerhere]

When I ordered my Denfrips Ares there was a wait time to build and ship, when the wait was over I got one of the first series 2 Ares and I totally agree with your review sonically. Not having the time, money or patience to listen to all the current DAC's on the market and with my limited budget of $2,000.00 I wanted excellence but took a chance on this underdog......man am I glad I did. Sure I would have been pleased with any of the current offerings in that 2k range and possibly could have waited and ponied up $3,000.00 for the new PrimaLuna Evo 100. But back to what this Denafrips DAC does ......it makes you want to dance, tap your feet, air drum, air guitar .......listen for long periods. In the end, isn't that why we listen to music?

[@stevemann3078]

Thank you for the video it's nice to see a young face getting into it some of them are great but they are getting older now anyways thank you for the video it's great to see the younger generation doing this,

[@nickburak7518]

I'm convinced! Quality craftsmanship and a quality product, for anyone. Anytime. Period!

[@kevinlei324]

Got mine last month and I absolutely love this DAC. Best way I can explain it in one word is CRISP. Don't know quite how to explain it, but you can really hear drum hits end as abruptly as they start. I was thinking to try out R2R with this DAC before even looking at the Denafrips Terminator, but am very happy with this one. Definitely one of those gears that are "good enough."

[@Jayiyagi]

I agree. I appreciate your comment. thank you

[@delvalle9256]

@Kevin Lei, which DAC did you own prior to The Ares 2 . Thanks

[@kevinlei324]

@@delvalle9256 Hey, I went through a couple DACs in recent years. I went from the Maverick Audio TubeMagic, then upgraded to the Woo Audio WDS-1, and finally, the AMB audio Gamma 3 DAC.

[@delvalle9256]

Kevin Lei So, the Ares 2 is way better than your other DACs, what I mean is , is the sound difference from the Ares vs your other DACS not jut subtle , but very audible.

[@kevinlei324]

@@delvalle9256 There is definitely an audible difference. And for my taste, it is definitely my favorite DAC. I don't want to say it's "better," because I realize "better" for me might mean something different for you. As he said in a previous R2R DAC video, R2R doesn't measure well. Some people like accurate sound so this DAC might not suite their taste. I started out pursuing accurate sound with solid state gear, but it never really rocked my world. I was never really happy with the sound. I recently moved towards tube amplification and could not be happier. My system probably is not very accurate sounding, but I don't care. If you like tube sound like I do, I would not hesitate to recommend this DAC.

[@Projacked1]

'Grippy' ....you use just the right words my friend, top notch review.

[@enushalu2548]

About as real as a review can get ! Impressive comments, I really enjoy.

[@rangerscoach]

i was floored by this dac. i couldnt believe how great it is for the money i thought it sounded better than my bryston bcd 1 by a pretty wide margin and when i used the bryston as a transport i was blown away.

[@robbiefest]

Here's hoping. I have a Bryston BDA1 DAC. I've just purchased the Ares 2. Will pick it up tomorrow.

[@ConcernedPublic]

Never knew the difference a R2R DAC can make until I tried the Ares II. It transformed the sound from my system way beyond my expectations - simply incredible. Save your money on a new amp or speakers, check this out first. You might be as pleasantly surprised as I am.

[@Dilyaev]

Listening to NOS or OS?

[@ConcernedPublic]

Dilyaev NOS, because I cannot tell any difference.

[@lextr3110]

awesome review

[@OrganNLou]

I concur with everything you said IT IS AN EXCELLENT DAC!!

[@HHTTRRNN]

Place the Ares on a separate A/C line circuit with no other equipment on the circuit. You will hear a big jump in resolution and definition. You can try this using a long outdoor extension cord to reach another outlet in your home on a different circuit breaker. Sounds best if both outlets are on the same phase.

[@florin604]

no

[@LeoRousseau]

I ordered my Denafrips Ares ii last week and it's shipping today. I'm looking forward to upgrading from the Schitt Modi Uber. Thanks for the video Jay! I really enjoy your channel!

[@locmanw1583]

Did you notice va sonic difference?

[@LeoRousseau]

@@locmanw1583 I never got a notification of your response and I apologize for being a year late. I absolutely had a night and day difference! 🇺🇦🇺🇸🤜

[@Jassethi03]

Great review. I really wish you review the Terminator as well. I have the Metrum Pavane and keep wondering if I should try out the Denafrips Terminator but it would have to be a blind buy. The Pavane and especially the L1 is a great natural sounding DAC but then what to do about the itch.

[@alext2933]

Looking forward to the DenafripsTerminator review in due course.

[@Jayiyagi]

fingers crossed...

[@Jayiyagi]

@Fat Rat i mean I don't want to give it back so....

[@Jayiyagi]

@Fat Rat oh.....

[@user-mx1mj1by1c]

Top review.

[@audiofun999]

It’s nice to see such a raving review about the DAC that I bought recently :) Now this is important: It seems like your Ares wasn’t broken in properly. Listen to it again after at least 100 hours of break-in and you will take your words about “sloppy bass” back, guaranteed :)

[@delvalle9256]

dennem Hello, which DAC did you replace it with the Ares. Thanks

[@audiofun999]

Del Valle before Ares I used Pi2Design 502DAC hat for Raspberry Pi and Audioquest Cobalt

[@OrganNLou]

Hi Jay, Have you tried the oversampling made with slow filter? I have heard that if you engage these that the bass is better and sound in general gets even better.

[@gokouson180]

I bought the Ares 1 on the strength of one rave review in one of the many audio enthusiast websites. The claims seemed too good to be true, saying it bested this and that DAC. All from established and well-known players. You can imagine how the naysayers dumped on all these claims. But after many months of research I know R2R is the one to get. This is the technology that started digital. Manufacturers only shifted to delta-sigma chips in order to reduce costs. Before Denafrips and others started manufacturing R2R DAC's again your only choice was to take a chance with vintage units that used the old chips - from Sonic Frontiers, Theta, EAD, Muse. It was hard. These vintage units maintained their value and people were still paying top dollar for decades old units. That tells you something. I even kept an excel file of all these vintage DACs with each chip that was used. The holy grail being the UltraAnalog D20400A. But now it seems the audiophile world has come around and rediscovered the excellent audio qualities of the R2R architecture. It may not measure well but the ear knows. The Denafrips Ares was one of those times I took a chance in this hobby and was rewarded with the real deal - a giant killer. Now I know there are still a lot of naysayers but if the continuous train of ecstatic reviews should they teach you anything, it's that it at least deserves consideration and an audition, if not an outright purchase.

[@BRATWURST1]

I still use my Audio Synthesis DAC DSM-X from the late 90s for cd playback which incorporates the UltraAnoalog D20400A.This chipset includes a single AD844 high slew rate op amp per channel which does the current to voltage conversion but also acts as the output buffer driving a simple 3 pole passive output filter.I built the kit version of this DAC and built it in a large studio rack case using 3 transformers which feed 3 schottky rectifiers,5x 10000 uf DNM slit foil caps which then feed the 13 voltage regulators.All the small decoupling caps are Rubycon Blackgates,the best electrolytics ever.With the analogue stage being so simple,DC coupled aswell,and the very fast power supply the sound is very detailed and dynamic and would probably better most modern DACs on redbook CD.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

I wanted this dac so bad but it always sold out so i went with the Aune X8 hopefully its good should be getting it soon 😆 thanks Jay i tried !

[@treyhorn5645]

👍. Great review Jay!. I just need to know a little more about the pool of snakes 🐍. cya on the flip side. ✌️

[@Jayiyagi]

✌👌

[@shawnwu9529]

Looking forward to also hear the Best Steamer in 2019, lol ^^

[@cygilbert4962]

Now THAT was a ringing endorsement if I've ever heard one. :)

[@Revelator2025]

Hi there. I recently purchased a pair of Tekton Double Impact speakers. I’m looking to upgrade my DAC and was wondering if you prefer the Onyx over the Ares II with those speakers. Thank you so much for your insight and informative videos. God Bless 🙂

[@mechantl0up]

I found it plays well together with my electrostatic headphones. The sound is, if possible, even more threedimensional than with other DACs I have tried. It also retains the driver’s speed while sounding calm and composed. In effect, the airiness of the treble is naturally accentuated. The DAC is, in a word, effortless in its presentation.

[@tshnob]

Very interesting review .

[@cruzzeaudiochanel2581]

You need to listen a Rockna Wavelight Dac, it's about 6000 dolars, but sounds beyond this money...keep doing this good work 😎

[@pesto9]

nice review

[@Jayiyagi]

Thank you !

[@alvins1982]

@The Next Best Thing Studio Get that terminator and review it! Great video by the way - keep up the great work.

[@xtctaz]

Great review Lighting round question Ares 2 vs Pontus... which one and why?

[@gusserrano1241]

I have a ARES and love ..

[@roguemodel]

The best thing is that he admits he is arrogant and "stupid stupid stupid." THAT is a fantastic lesson for a young person. I have this DAC it the hyperbole is not hyperbole. It is a great DAC period. I was unfamiliar with R2R DACS, now I am, so my mind is open. Nice job Jay.

[@locmanw1583]

So the Ares II is very smooth and airy like Jay says?

[@erikolaussen860]

Thanks for a great review! It resulted in me buying an Ares II 😊 How would you describe the difference between this and Soekris 1541? Thank you very much. And hoping for an answer.

[@saummisra9621]

Hi- I've heard a lot of positive reviews and i am waiting to pull the trigger. My music taste is very mixed- more in the rock/alternative/electronic/classical. The couple of things i like are excitement with good leading edges/ impact, sharp transients and dynamics. Would you suggest this DAC? Thanks a bunch!

[@JM-du4np]

Great review, have you heard the Ares 2 Have you heard about the Musical Paradise MP-D! Mk3 DAC? If so how what are your thoughts as to which sounds better?

[@boutetmarcus]

Hello, nice review ! I always love your honesty in your reviews. I never had the chance to hear the R-7HE from the chinese compagny Audiogd. Do you know this brand ? Would it be possible for you to review their flagship R2R Dac ? Anyway, thanks again for your work.

[@kuisin88]

I'm guessing you'll be reviewing the Pontus, Venus ...etc?

[@mobileuser2923]

Any similar recommendation with preamp function (volume included)? Thanks for sharing, great video.

[@idlohtrab]

Hi Jay , love the channel , I am re building my HiFi set up , I started with some ProAc Response D18s (used Immaculate) I have settled on buying the Ares 2 , do you think it will be a good match for the Naim Supernait 3? or should I consider Hegel ? many thanks

[@khanhdang8342]

Just go for the top from Denafrips, Terminator Dac.

[@fastsnail3568]

Will you be reviewing Denafrips Terminator? Appreciate if u can review one

[@nickreecy4229]

So a budget dac that can be used in a high end $$$$ system. Will mortals with less $$ system still get more with the Ares, versus something like Schiit Bifrost 2 at less $$ or Topping DX7 Pro at even less $$? Awesome review btw.

[@Jayiyagi]

Yes sir. like I said in the review. sub $1000 only in price. performance-wise, it shouldn't be even in this category

[@MrShaggy789]

How would this DAC fair with the Hegel Rost? Recently started watching your video's, enjoy them immensely. Keep up the good work.

[@Jayiyagi]

Thank you for the comment. Hegel rost is an integrated so I would be hard pressed to think that most of the cost to be dedicated to the cost of the dac like the ares 2

[@MrShaggy789]

@@Jayiyagi Sorry, didn't make myself very clear. Would the Denafrips be a worthwhile DAC upgrade for the Hegel Rost amp?

[@Jayiyagi]

@@MrShaggy789 oh immensely. Now I havent tried it but I'd imagine so.

[@MrShaggy789]

@@Jayiyagi Thanks again.

[@HoomanR17]

ooh.. if you were to experiment or try it into a Rost or any recent Hegel integrated, would love to know how this Dac improves upon the Hegel's internal DAC. Thanks so much for your review!!

[@reneanthonyquiaoit3602]

Do you think this would pair well with the the Hifiman Ananda's you convinced me to buy? I love the Ananda's, but I want better dynamics from them than my current Modi 3/THX 789 can provide.

[@WelkySchullin]

Hey, thanks for a video. Could you please consider comparing to the Audio-gd R2R DACs they are very nice!

[@joshbritton3268]

I'm highly considering this DAC but if I get it, it will be pulling double duty for my speakers and headphones. Will I have a similar experience with my headphones as you've described with speakers ?

[@Thevikingcam]

I just got the ARES II. I just cannot believe how much difference this makes compared to SMSL SU-9 DAC. Mind blowing difference.

[@jesushuerta9878]

its just what I have smsl su9 and I cant imagine how much difference it would have because Su9 it already sounds great

[@Thevikingcam]

@@jesushuerta9878 Su-9 is amazing DAC and specially with MQA. Its magic but still i can not believe how much the ARES II is better.

[@jesushuerta9878]

@@Thevikingcam I came from a melomaniac root being a vinyl collector..but Ares is out of my budget soo I would need to say goodbye to my Fluance turntable and Su9 so I can invest in Ares and save lots of money of purchasing vinyls IF Ares is that good.

[@michaelwright1602]

@@jesushuerta9878 Look at the Cayin RU6 DAC, it has the same qualities as the Ares II and is only $250... Maybe more in line with your budget?

[@jesushuerta9878]

@@michaelwright1602 definitely i need to try it. It would work as well with some transportable daps

[@billwillard9410]

Since you’ve heard both, how would you compare this dac and the dac in the PS Audio Gain Cell Dac? You had mentioned the GCD as being forward in its presentation previously, but how about quality of detail compared to this?

[@dontcare563]

My concern is all of those capacitors and a increased chance of failure of one of them. I assume they have a reason for using this many instead of a couple of large ones and it may be related to keeping the case small and perhaps costs.

[@TRUEiMPROrecords]

I think the capacitors are used as voltage spike filters for the resistors in the array so they need a lot of them.

[@tjp444]

I was R2R curious. After reading a couple reviews of the Denafrips Ares and then seeing Steve Guttenberg's review I decided to buy the Ares II. Your description of the DAC's performance is right-on. I love the "musicality" of the Ares. However, I wish you had addressed some of this DAC's failings when it comes to ergonomics. Such as the tiny hard to see LEDs and the lack of a auto-standby mode.

[@delvalle9256]

Tom Prossima Hi, what was your previous DAC prior to the Ares ? Thanks

[@tjp444]

@@delvalle9256 Well, actually I was using an IQaudio DAC Pro on a Raspberry Pi. However, I had the opportunity to do a direct A/B comparison between the Ares II and a $6,000 PS Audio DirectStream DAC. The DirectStream was better with detail, but only slightly. The Ares really held up well against the more expensive DAC.

[@delvalle9256]

Tom Prossima Thanks for sharing your experience

[@jmlathion2909]

I ordered it last week (actually before seeing your video and "2019 award"). Looking forward to getting it, when Denafrips has caught up with demand...

[@macnab8857]

J M Lathion I hope you’ll not have any problems with the USB input driver like I’m having. The coax input works ok though.

[@locmanw1583]

@@macnab8857 What problem you have?

[@MnAn-hl5tl]

@@locmanw1583 The USB input didn’t work, the DAC did not recognize my laptop when I connect to it. Returned it to Vinshine and got a new replacement unit FOC, well...I had to pay a bit for the customs duty on the new unit.

[@locmanw1583]

@@MnAn-hl5tl Ok so new unit works? I ra don't use laptop so I might never know lol! Are you happy with the sound?

[@MnAn-hl5tl]

@@locmanw1583 Yes it works fine now and I’m not using my laptop anymore since I’ve bought a streamer and use the same USB input of the Ares II. As for the sound it’s the best DAC I’ve used so far in the sub $1k price.

[@carnut8436]

Jay is Audio Excellence carrying this product? Can I get my hands on a demo to try out? Also have you heard the Pontus or Venus?

[@jeffsykes1195]

I wonder how much improvement I would get using this Denafrips dac, and bypassing the usb dac in my Parasound P6.

[@V1ralB1ack]

Significant improvement but how much a person considers worth it depends on the person. You'd probably have to give it a test run to judge? Or maybe go for something that's 90% of the performance but less than half the price like the schiit bifrost 2? The bifrost 2 has excellent USB ports

[@therustyspoke]

When are we going to find out what Thomas thought of it?

[@wbwatts43]

My integrated amp does not have balanced inputs, did you listen to the rca output? If so how did it sound?

[@sunrise915]

I have this same question. I actually recently purchased this DAC and it is still breaking in but it sounds very rich and full compared to any other DACs that I have had in my systems. By the way, I still have not added it to my main system.😄. But mainly because it is not balanced and everyone is reviewing the DAC talking about the balanced connections. Can you do some tests of how much of a noticeable difference does it make playing balanced vs non-balanced. Thanks.

[@sergiocurvelo2384]

I have a Metrum Onix. It sounds fabulous, even with 44khz files. Is it worth exchanging for an Ares II? Maybe to explore DSD files!

[@jeffadams9699]

How does the AresII compare to the DAC in the Hegel H90? I am seriously considering the Hegel to pair with my Maggie’s.

[@adamsmith8900]

Hi Jay, I am enjoying your channel and subscribed! I see by the comments below that everyone wants you to review something. Sounds annoying....so let me add to the annoyance... What about doing a comparison of the Ares II with the Pontus. It's the Pontus that has my attention(because of its re-clocking feature, and better base control) but the reviews of the Pontus are few and far between. Hopefully not adding too much to the cacophony.

[@adamsmith8900]

By the way I have and use the Artist R2R, and love it. It won me over to the ladder DAC camp. I'm ready to climb up the ladder, ha!

[@shawnwu9529]

Great review! I will have this DAC in few days. Could you, or Zero Fidelity or Thomas recommend a good hifi streamer that would be able to connect to this DAC? I was looking at Sony hap-z1es however it does not support outboard DAC connection I believe.

[@Jayiyagi]

Streamer wise. I would look at lumin or innuos. Of course.... This is what I have experience with so ai can recommend them

[@shawnwu9529]

@@Jayiyagi Thank you. I am not familiar with this brand but I will definitely look into it. :-)

[@tjp444]

Don't know if you use Roon, but Roon recognizes it via USB.

[@catified2081]

Bluesound node2 or 2i. Great bang for your buck.

[@luis6379-q7k]

@@catified2081 I have the Node 2 and I agree wholeheartedly. Great device and works with Roon.

[@xstensl8823]

should i buy this or the Pontus? Venus? how does this compare to my NAD D1050? has digital really improved that much since 2013? timbral accuracy and timing can be had for less. from what the reviewers are saying i think the only improvement are being made in the area of soundstage. what is the best bang for buck in their line? the the law of diminishing returns. has digital reached its limits and surpassed analog?

[@issekinicho]

Did you tried your Denafrips Ares II on the Stax D-50 ? Any improvement ?

[@Toki1908]

Do you think Denafrips Ares 2 with PS Audio Stellar S300 Amp would be a good match?

[@x32i77]

Please do a Review of the new Teac Nt 505 🙏🙏🙏

[@Coneman3]

I see you have Tekton speakers. Very interesting.

[@mikem4214]

Do you have a reference system with static gear, or is it always in transition?

[@joemartin6439]

Hi jay, I am so proud of you. But how can you look at a DAC costing $10,000 USA

[@deathbydart3891]

@NBTS Ares II vs. Soekris 1541. Which do you recommend?

[@exif6839]

I still use my Benchmark DAC1 and this thing is sounding excellent 😁

[@awvz_1194]

What would be a good (budget) preamp to go along with this?

[@kato2395]

Planning to pair this with a singxer sa-1 amp. But then I saw your review on the Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies 3rd Gen and it made me waver. I am now wondering how does the singxer sa-1 + ares II stack compared to the WA7 Fireflies 3rd gen. Which one sound better?

[@saysaylor7662]

KZbin , please don’t show me audiophile channels anymore

[@niyantx]

Any chance you've heard the RME adi-2 dac. It's not an r2r but many of the things you mention for the ares ii have been mentioned for the rme - clean sound, beats dacs twice the price and underrated

[@michaelwright1602]

I believe this is still one of the best DACs, at this price point, money can buy. That is if you like the sound of an R2R DAC. I have been through several Delta Sigma DACS, from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. I was thinking it was my system, my gear, no, it was those DS DACs. The Ares II, at least for me, was the game changer. I can now sit for hours and actually enjoy listening to music. Gone is that clinical sound, that digital harshness which was quite honestly NOT enjoyable, even though everyone told me it is! Like I said, Denafrips and their Ares II took my back in time, to the 60's and 70's, that sound I grew up with, game changer. Pair it with a nice class A/B pre and amp, along with a good old fashioned, with a modern take, KLH Model 5 speakers, call it Heaven.

[@michaelwright1602]

@pt265 Well congratulations! I think you will really enjoy the new Ares II. As it burns in it will sound better and better. And I agree on the Denon, I had the X4400H model and the internal DAC was not musical at all.

[@Clickarn93]

Hello I was wondering if you could recommend a DAC under 1600 dollar for gaming? I want to use it for competetive gaming so I can pinpoint excatly where enemy is by sound.

[@matzeflamingos]

Let's try Audio Optimum NOS-DAC2!!!

[@znick77]

Great review man, I'd be really interested in seeing you review the RME ADI-2 DAC

[@anhy10ful]

I guess the RME ADI-2 DAC is more likely to beat the Denafrips Ares 2. I am interested to know about the comparison too.

[@doriarama]

Keep dreaming: I know about so many other reviewers who want to review the RME ADI-2 DAC lol. But RME got already raving reviews and their sales are so good that I guess they don't need more reviews for it.

[@tonyxu8501]

Hi, have you got a chance to compare the terminator with this one?

[@N6J6R6]

Did you play with the oversampling and filter options at all?? I know they exist on the DAC, but don't really know what they do..

[@macnab8857]

Any owner of the Ares II has the problem of ‘USB device cannot start - error code 10’? I cannot use the USB input of this DAC as my music player cannot initialize the DAC as an output device. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Thesycon v4.67.0 driver but still can’t use the USB input. The coax input is alright though. Tried using other music players and other laptops, no success. Denafrips support has not replied to my email and it’s quite frustrating. Hopefully they’ll issue a driver update or I might just sell this DAC.

[@bennielamb8911]

I'm looking into a preamp now that I got the Ares II 12th. I'm looking into either the Doge 8, the Kinki EX-P27, or the Denafrips Athena. Do you have a comparison for these?

[@felixbegin5815]

Hello, when you say under a thousand, is this canadian dollars? And please tell me where you can get it at this price? Thank yoou for your excellent reviews!

[@Jayiyagi]

It is under a thousand usd. Please check the description.

[@tjp444]

Denafrips has only one authorized dealer. That's www.vinshineaudio.com/ If you buy it anywhere else, it will likely not be covered by their 3 year warranty. Also, be advised that they accept NO RETURNS (other than a manufacturing defect).

[@ZeroFidelity]

Get some sleep R2R boy.

[@khalid969]

I've been watching this guy's videos for a couple of days. He looks like a reliable source of information. Now that I see you here, that validates my initial assessment of him :D

[@Jayiyagi]

@@khalid969 well.. thank you ! for the flattery

[@Jayiyagi]

You say that but you are on my ass if I don't get my shit done

[@ZeroFidelity]

​@@khalid969 - Some people will look at Jay and think: "WTF can this hairless kid tell me about hi-fi that I don't already know? Why should I give him the time of day?" Those people are missing out. That hairless f**ker has more practical experience than many other reviewers. To be fair though - it's not all gravy. I still want to swat him at least 50% of the time. And if we ever meet in-person, that's guaranteed to happen! Still, I'm glad he's here and I hope Jay and his awesome crew will continue to grind and make a positive impact on the industry!

[@ZeroFidelity]

@@Jayiyagi - Catch an attitude one more time... Go ahead.

[@pedroluisguillemain5683]

Try the Audio-gd R8 DAC. It costs about 1.5k, its an R2R DAC and FPGA programable. Another great chinese brand. Trust me, you wont regret it.

[@xstensl8823]

no money back guarantee, but should be easy to flip? but harder as you move up the line maybe?

[@ltlai9465]

Can the Denafrips Ares II connect to the KEF LS50 Wireless II? Can do a video to compare LS50 Wireless match with Ares II against internal own DAC?

[@b00m3rh4nd_sol]

How does it compare to the new Schiit Bifrost 2? They are about the same price.

[@joshuabichsel]

Ive wondered this as well. Have you tried either out?

[@b00m3rh4nd_sol]

@@joshuabichsel I have ab tested both and prefer the Ares II.

[@joshuabichsel]

@@b00m3rh4nd_sol I was afraid of that I actually have a bifrost 2 showing up today. Might have to send it back and try the Ares if I don't like it. I mostly listen to metalcore and classical so I figured the bifrost being more analytical would sound better, but this area has me intrigued.

[@b00m3rh4nd_sol]

@@joshuabichsel The BF2 is a very good DAC and I loved it. I just cannot unhear the soundstage and 3d effect Ares II produces. Everything just sounds more natural to me; more life like. I have a theory that maybe BF2 would benefit from a preamp in the chain. I am plugging directly into THX-887 headphone amp.

[@joshuabichsel]

@@b00m3rh4nd_sol that's awesome. I told my wife yesterday I was gonna go the Ares ii route and that was a mistake. She purchased the bifrost 2 already for me for Christmas. So looks like I'm gonna rock it for awhile with my A90. I think for now I'll just get a cheap tube amp to throw some flavor in and then maybe next year get the ares ii. I really appreciate all the information though.

[@franzb69]

have you heard the airist r2r dac? how does that compare to this?

[@franzb69]

and what about audio.gd's r2r dacs? how do they compare to these?

[@jaysworld5378]

Any opinions on the Questyle CMA400i vs this Dac?

[@billwillard9410]

I know it’s been a while, but can you or anyone else make any comparisons between this and the dac in the PS Audio Gain Cell?

[@filipedecarvalho3390]

Would you recommend any specific amp for this? (if possible, under $500)

[@banginghats2]

Have you compared balanced and unbalanced outputs?

[@soundknight]

There's something special about turoidal transformers.

[@skelewolf8431]

Could it be a good combo with my smsl sp200?

[@mesonto]

Heard a 3 way blind test between the Ares 2, Gustard X26 and a Schiit Gungnir Multibit. All 4 of us in the room liked the Gustard X26 the best, we all thought it was the most musical and open. As a side note, there needs to be a lot less reviews like this and more reviews centred on AB blind comparison tests.

[@illegalalienfromsalviaspac449]

The gustard is the best measuring device out of that list. Its no surprise (except to the people who buy gear based on subjective reviews) that it's the best sounding since it scores the best technically. Search audiosciencereview for the tests

[@chrisforsythe1605]

So I have the Ares II in my main system, I love it but I’ve got the itch to upgrade. What’s the next step up from this? I’m looking at the Mytek Brooklyn or Schiit Yggdrasil 2, anyone have a suggestion?

[@Jayiyagi]

those two are very different from the ares 2. If you like the ares 2 I would suggest maybe looking into metrum onyx or denafrips' higher offerings

[@catified2081]

Chord Qutest. Not r2r but using a programmable Dac chip.

[@Chris-nd5se]

How does it compare to Mytek Liberty Dac please ?