Was I wrong? Denafrips Hades/Thallo + Hestia Review

[@derekjarman1638]

Thanks for the review - I really enjoy how you show us the guts of the products you get in.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 👍

[@maxadams1298]

Appreciate the thoughtful and careful (on-going) evaluation Tarun. I'm running Iris - Pontus2 - Hestia - Hyperion - Buchardt S400 mk2. Pretty happy with the music!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Max 👍

[@jakobgooijer]

Hello Max. I'm running Hermes ( because of a Audiolab 6000cdt) Pontus II . Now i can't choose between Hestia and Hades. What made you choose for the Hestia? Jakob

[@jakobgooijer]

@@maxadams1298 Thanks for your answer Max. I can hardly imagine that the Hades scores much better than the Hestia in my set. I'm not one of those guys who listens to music very concentrated and motionless. On the other hand, I hear within a few seconds whether a set has that special musical touch or whether something is not right. With this thought Tarun, understandably, leaves me with a dilemma. Unfortunately, in the Netherlands, as in England, there is no dealer, so the choice can't be made by listening. So...I'm still in healthy doubts for a while..😉

[@jakobgooijer]

@@maxadams1298 unfortunately I can't find the Audiophilia review

[@garyalexander5686]

Hi Tarun. Thank you for yet another brilliant review. It sounds as though the Denafrips Hades/Thallo kit benefit from a proper run-in. Unsurprisingly though, their basic sound apparently does not change, nor should it. My preference is for a warmer sound, though not to the point where everything comes to sound as though it's been covered in molasses. And that's been a challenge for me in assembling gear. For myself I've learned that what works best is starting with speakers and their interaction with the room. A safe choice in amplification is an integrated amp. But then you may be missing out on what a particular amplifier can do with your chosen speakers. I've certainly put a foot wrong more than once in this regard. It's madness of course, but loads of fun. May Queen Elizabeth II live forever in our memories.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gary. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@jimfarrell4635]

Something I have discovered relatively recently is the synergy which comes by matching different types of gear and genres of music. I now run an Allnic 300b SET amp at 12.5 watts per channel and a Kinki Studio class AB solid state amp with 215 watts and switch between them according to what I am playing. Valves for acoustic music and jazz, solid state for rock and orchestral. Works for me though it involves a jungle of cables.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jim 😊

[@carlitomelon4610]

@Jim Farrell Straining my imagination: A Scottish jungle? 🎵🎶😁🎶🎵

[@Stevie-F]

Really enjoying your channel and views. Re matching components i have a Schiit Freya+ pre with a Bryston 4b3 at first wasn’t happy but was still running a Cyrus Dacmaster which i had for around 30 years. Changed for a Gustard x-22 dac and was blown away. All running xlr. I stumbled across your Reviews of Pontis ii and am considering a dac upgrade soon. 👌🏼👍🏼

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Steve 👍

[@ntserver1]

Thank you Tarun, nice touch. When I replaced my speaker cable (similar price), longer run required, with the Tellurium Q Ultra Blue II. What a revelation. Exposure 3010S2 amp. and CD, Proac Response D1. The 1st notes\chord - I had visions of the electromagnetic waveform travelling through and around them. Every positive attribute just effortlessly.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Stephen 😊

[@richardjarvis8033]

Thanks for another great review and for all your advice, Tarun. I've run a Hestia for several months now an have been very pleased with it. My reasons for choosing it were: resolving sound quality, balanced from end to end (streaming and turntable) and having built a couple of passive pre-amps from scratch - an admiration for the design. I've run it with a cambridge 851d (good) and a Nord nc500 (outstanding) power amp and my impression is its neutral enough and has enough quality to show up the weaknesses in other parts of my setup

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Richard. I agree, it is a good preamp and very impressively built 😊

[@laika25]

Very nice touch mentioning her Majesty. 🙏🏼

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. may she rest in peace 🙏

[@wouterkolkman]

On synergy: I use the Denafrips Athena pre with the Denafrips T+ DAC successfully with ATC active 50s resulting in a highly resolving neutral setup which according to some outperforms systems costing considerably more. I am glad you did the re-visit and explained potential matching issues. Very interesting review as alway Tarun:-)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Wouter 😊

[@connorduke4619]

I've heard good things about the Athena, in terms of smoothing out harsh transients which is exactly what I look for in a preamp as this is the sound signature of the many Marantz integrated amps I've had. Do you find that Athena plays overall analytical like Hades/Hestia or warm?

[@wouterkolkman]

@@connorduke4619 Hi Connor, I have not heard the Hades, so I cannot compare. The sound is definitely not agressive - just very detailed. I also noticed with my T+ compared to my previous amp, I now also had lots of detail at low volume. I am very happy with it:-)

[@jakobgooijer]

Thats a beautiful set-up you've got there. If you were my neighbour it would be interesting to hear and see the Athena. Since 20 years i'm playing with tubed preamp and thinking of making the switch to the Hades or Hestia.

[@wouterkolkman]

@@jakobgooijer I am based in the U.K.:-)

[@brown-eyedman4040]

First, Tarun, I join you in mourning (from here in the States) the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. Truly a great lady. Thanks for another entertaining and informative review. Always look forward to your videos. Over the years I've owned several pre and power amps, and while some satisfying results could be attained by mixing and matching, the best results for me have always come from using pre/power combos from the same brand. Not sure this would apply if the pre and power were from different time periods.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. May she rest in peace. I think the matching of pre/power amps from different bands is a problematic today as it has ever been 😊👍

[@howardskeivys4184]

That was a really interesting and thought provoking review. A couple of years ago, after watching and reading dozens of reviews, brimming with positivity, I reached out to Alvin at Vinshine and purchased the Kinki preamp monoblocks combo. I was initially very impressed. But after weeks of attentive listening, I realised that it’s sonic character did not suit my listening preference. The combo was highly resolving and clean, but was also very lean and staccato, lacking acoustic mass. I was more used to and preferred a richer tonal balance. I spoke with Alvin, who confirmed that what I was experiencing was in fact, the Kinki sound signature. He suggested I swap the Kinki preamp for the Denafrips Hestia. He felt it would restore the tonal qualities I was looking for, whilst still benefitting from the Kinki monoblock power houses. He wasn’t wrong! I already have the Denafrips Venus 2, which I love. I’m now seriously contemplating upgrading my Denafrips Hestia preamp to the Athena preamp. I’m also seriously thinking of investing in the Denafrips Apollo stereo power amp. Using the Kinki monoblocks and the Denafrips Apollo to bi-amp my speakers. I’d be interested in your thoughts and comments.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Howard. The Venus is a great DAC. I ahavnt Howard the Athena/Apollo combination. If they have a similar sonic signature to the Hades/Thallo is am not sure you will get the tonal richness you crave 😊

[@bryanherr1093]

Another exceptional review. Thank you Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@bencausey]

Very much appreciate the time stamps. Wish everyone would. 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Ben 😊

[@backrack01]

Not sure what the prices are for Schiit gear in the UK compared to what they are in the states. But the Freya S or Freya + is the best fully balanced preamp I've found in their price range. Now that the bitfrost 2/64 is fully balanced as well... Guess it'll just depend what one likes. I do prefer the Denafrips Ares II over the Bitfrost 2/64 though with the Freya +.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I hope to review the Freya at some point 😊

[@bobb.9917]

Tarun…Thanks again for reaffirming my sanity. I brought this up last time. I “got back in” during Covid. Pulled out my 45 yr. old Bob Carver C-500 power amp (250wpc .Solid State), which had been stored for decades. I bought a Schiit Freya Plus to drive it and its original caps bought a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 100s which was a mistake. 50% of the time they made my ears bleed…so I went all the way in the other direction and bought a left-over pair of new Dynaudio Contour 20s, a Marantz SACD 30n for Discs & Streaming and a Pontus II DAC. So…I was in more sonic bliss than I knew as, I got the itch to get a new modern amp. After much research I bought a pair of Kinki Studio Mono Blocs (Vinshine Audio is the WorldWide Dist. of that brand). I thought..HUH?..why does this sound so thin? Can’t be. I talked to Alvin at Vinshine and he assured me that out of the Denafrips/Kinki Amps that my Kinki Mono Blocs were the best, warmest fullest sound of those units. He suggested that I try the Denefrips top-of-the-line Athena PreAmp to drive the Kinki Mono Blocs. NOPE! (for me)…just as you describe, soundstage was smaller, mid bass had less punch, female and male vocals were thin and not full. My Freya+ and my 45-year old Bob Carver bested the Vinshine sound for me (The Pontus II is a winner, tho). I took a financial bath and when all-in in the other direction financially and sound-wise …..I bought a McIntosh MC-152 Power Amp…..kept my Freya+ to drive it and threw in a Schiit Loki Max Equalizer to trim wayward recordings. Its so enjoyable…for me…maybe I am just old-school…but I smile a lot now and just search for music! I think that this audiophile just does not “get” The Analytical Sound. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for posting this Bob. Great to learn about your experiences. Glad things worked out in the end 😊👍

[@earthoid]

Since you asked for input, I have been looking for a good preamp to solve a mismatch in my system but I'm not sure if a preamp would be the best fix for my problem. I have the Ares 12th-1 DAC connected to the balanced input of my Parasound HINT (Halo Integrated) amp. Speakers are Salk HT-2TL. The problem is that the balanced output of the DAC is too hot for the HINT, so the volume knob rarely goes above the 8pm position, never more than about 9:30pm even after a good beer or two. This makes setting volume a hit or miss affair especially at lower late-night volumes. The remote has wobbly buttons that don't help either, and being a resistor-ladder DAC the Ares should not be used to control volume. Using RCA interconnects instead of balanced lowers the volume about half, and since the HINT is probably not a true balanced amp it shouldn't matter which one I use. My thinking is that a separate preamp might give me better volume control. The Schiit Kara has 3 selectable output levels and might offer a solution. Or maybe the HINT amp itself is the problem and should be replaced. Parasound will not give me a schematic, not even the part where the preamp circuit connects to the power amp so I don't want to attempt to modify the circuit without that. So given all that, and while mostly on a "@cheapaudioman budget", what would you do? For now I'm at least sticking with RCA interconnects from DAC to HINT.

[@carlitomelon4610]

@TheBritishAudiophile Tarun, My Hestia12th arrived this week. Decided to try a *balanced* SS preamp between Ares2 and Bryston B3sst. Other pre is a Musical Paradise MP701mk2. The Hestia will give me a baseline for all the tube and capacitor rolling possibilities available🎶((😅))🎶 I had to switch the amp to higher sensitivity input and disable the automatic gain limits in BS Node2i to drive 2.2 LRS/RELs to satisfying levels. Initial impressions are of a dense warm, full bodied, transparent presentation full of lively dynamics and with very expressive timing. Emotionally engaging ! Solid imaging and decent depth: Had some trepidation, but NOT clinical in this setup - thanks for asking. BTW the extra remote buttons operate my Marantz CD63,67SE and Musical Fidelity X-ray V3 CD players 🎵🎶😁🎶🎵

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experience 😊

[@carlitomelon4610]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You're welcome, sir. I swapped back to the Musical Paradise MP701mk2 (2x6922, Psvane 6sn7, Mundorf SGO EVO supreme coupling caps, HVO bypass caps, 5u4g rectifier - *Today* ;-) Glowy Tonal saturation & holophonic beauty! You should get one for the pure pleasure, Tarun. Hard to recommend as a reference, since it's such a *CHAMELEON*! I'll keep the Hestia12th as that reference point. Both satisfying. Cheerio 🎵🎶😁🎶🎵

[@dokterbc]

I never realized it was so tricky to combine pre and power amps from different brands. I combined my Naim nac 282 pre amp with a Bryston 2.5 cubed poweramp and it sounds fantastic, with great improvement coming from a Naim nap 200 poweramp. Glad I got lucky.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great 👍

[@markcarrington8565]

Great video, Tarun. Can’t say you didn’t try! Over the last couple of years I’ve been burning in capacitors regularly in amps, speakers and cd players. I haven’t noticed vast differences, but then the changes happen slowly so I wouldn’t have expected to. It’s more of a sudden realisation one day, listening to music I haven’t heard for a while, that it sounds bigger and more open than I remember. Occasionally some edginess has gone or an instrument sounds a tad more like it should. As regards matching, I haven’t done much, but I have a random pre/power combination which has worked out very well. I started with a NAD integrated amp in my study system, which, as with most from the brand, allows a separate power amp to be used. I rebuilt a Quad 306 to see if it could get a grip on my Monitor Audio speakers. On doing a bit of reading, I discovered Quad preamps are particularly low in output compared to the normal levels used by most other makers. This means the 306 was going to be somewhat over-sensitive with the NAD, or any other, come to that. By swapping some resistors on the input I adjusted the sensitivity down to a more regular setting and it worked fine with the NAD. So the next obvious thing was to find a better pre-amp. Being a Musical Fidelity fan a bagged a vintage Elektra E200 for a reasonable price and that was a huge step up on the NAD. So, for me, it’s been a case of blind luck, as the amplification on my study system is now brilliant. None of it is standard and I’d be really interested to put it up against something like your Hegel.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. Always great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@kibreddy]

In my experience, cables both RCA and Speaker types, play a very important role in Synergy. You can literally tune your system when you have equipment that's not balanced. I keep a bunch of RCS's with different characteristics handy for just such an application. Furutech cables are very analytical with awesome bass definition, Acoustic Research Master series are smooth, VDH is where you go if you dont really know what you are doing and need to throw away some money fast ect..

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Kib 😊

[@jamesfarrow6752]

I recently purchased a complete cable loom, which has lead to a significant improvement in sound quality. This, I believe, reinforces the role cables play in system synergy. Interestingly, the cables cost significantly less than the previous loom so that is a lesson learnt.

[@JordanPhegley]

Excellent, thoughtful review. I appreciate it!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jordan. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@johncallaghan3097]

My most significant experience with synergy relates to speaker cables. I have two systems, the main one in the lounge at around £4000, and a secondary one in my study at c. £1300. The main system is hooked up to the speakers with Tellurium Q blue II cables (about £100 for a factory-terminated pair when I bought them); the secondary one, with Audioquest FLX/SLiP 14/4 cables (self-terminated with Amazon basics bananas, about £45 in total when I bought them). A few weeks ago, I thought I'd treat myself to two pairs of Audioquest Rocket 22 cables, one for each system, costing me £230 (a bargain price on Amazon -- should have cost me c. £400). I'm quite sure they're the genuine article, but was very disappointed when I hooked them up. Never mind, I thought, they'll break in after a week or two. But they never did and now I've changed back to my old cables, which sound MUCH better. No help for it, I'll have to sell the Rocket 22s. They've been quite heavily promoted, but to my ears they sound extremely mediocre, and not just in one system, but two. The difference would be really obvious to anyone. My advice to someone not quite happy with their gear -- especially if they haven't yet experimented with alternative speaker cables -- is to beg, borrow or steal (don't buy buy straight away!) a few different pairs to try. They could prove to be far and away the best bang for your buck, and surprise you with how good your system can sound after all!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing John 😊

[@larrywe3320]

Good Job as usual... You and your mates have my condolences

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@terryjefferylee6314]

Tarun, lots of people compliment you on the quality of your reviews and rightly so. May I add that you manage to give a fair and honest assessment, not one full of hyperbole, which makes for a more useful review. Keep up the good work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Terry. That is greatly appreciated 😊👍

[@zindahoon]

Brilliant review thanks Tarun

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 🙂

[@JG-gg9wk]

Your dedication at the start was very respectful gesture on your part. My condolences on the passing of your Country's Queen.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you JG. Much appreciated 😊🙏

[@paulwg2112]

Another thorough review. Thank you sir!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊👍

[@fletchermunson6225]

Thanks Tarun. I'm personally back at separate as I like the mix and match game tweaking the sound to my liking.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jim 😊

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Sad business with the queen. A person of living history. She will be missed.

[@StinMinn]

Hello Tarun, Thank you so much for your honest and measured reviews! I thought I'd share my experience so far with the Hades, Despite your reviews, I took the plunge and so far am very pleased. It's paired with the Denafrips Pontus II and not the Thallo, though. My amps are Schiit Vidar monoblocks and speakers are Harbeth C7s. Source is Lumin U-2 Mini. The Denafrips and Lumin gear is only a week or two old, replacing a Pro-Ject DAC, Schiit Freya + Preamp, and Bryston BDP-Pi digital source. But right away I noticed deeper bass and a more-refined sound overall. I'm very happy. Maybe the Pontus II and Hades is a better match than Hades and Thallo?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Stin. As always, it all comes down to system matching. Great that they work so well in your system 👍

[@WhatEver-dx3eu]

A very nice touch to spend a few seconds on the Queen's passing!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. May she rest in peace 🙏

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

AND OUR HEARTFELT 🥺 SYMPATHIES TO ALL WHO LOVED HER 🤗💚💚💚

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

May she rest in peace 🙏

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Pretty sure she will 🤗💚💚💚

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Great review as usual, someone who knows what there talking about for a change

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊👍

[@nacarp2000]

Hi Tarun. When you said matching your Exposure Pre to the Thallo, or the Hades to the Exposure Monoblocks, I hope you used the RCAs and not the XLRs, that is because the Exposures although having XLRs are infact single-ended connections, only 2 of the 3 pins are connected. The XLRs should only be used when connecting Exposure to Exposure, to use a more secure cable than RCA terminated cables. This and the fact that the Denafrips Pre's have virtually no gain would both be issues.

[@isaacestep3321]

I use enyo, hestia, Hyperion with Klipsch heresies Iv. I really dig this combo.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@avro66]

Hi tarun, nice tribute to her majesty, I had the pleasure of a week on security when the queen and Duke visited Cyprus in 93, RAF akrotiri. wonderful person. Great review of some interesting components.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul. I bet you have some wonderful memories of her 😊👍

[@avro66]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 indeed, great times in the RAF.

[@ggdfggdfgdffgfddg34]

Friend, as always, you speak very clearly and to the point! At times like these, I understand why Britain was once an empire! You definitely have the talent to highlight the main thing! Can you tell me the speaker with the thickest sound or the speaker for male vocals?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you, my friend. I am glad the imperial days are behind us 😂 For vocal reproduction (male or female) it is hard to fault the classic British monitors. They LS3/5A or any of the companies that derived from there. Check out Harbeth, Spendor Classic, Graham Audio, ProAc 😊

[@williammilligan1451]

I have the Denafrips Thallo, Schiit Freya + and Polk R 700 speakers...I find the combo very satisfying, especially using tubes (Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB's) with Freya. After adding the R700 (previously using Ohm 1000's) low end kicked in dramatically, but with a slightly closed in sound stage. Adding new speaker bridges (Italian from Ricable, 160USD), I could now walk into the sound stage and feel the corporality of the players, jaw dropped! From your previous evaluation of the Thallo, I partially agreed, and invested in a Lokius equalizer which has done unexpected wonders to crappy miking and mixing venues, and somewhat shocked at how much more resolving and sound stage opening my Marantz ND 8006 really is. This is a plug for what proper synergy with I/C's can do for a system...I had been previously using Dueland type and Morrow I/C's (5 & 6's), speaker cables, with very good sound, but flipping to Ricable products just blew it all open, now in the process of finishing off with balanced I/C's and speaker cables...I'm curious as to what I/C's and speaker cables you're using.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing. Issued Link K20 speaker cable, Mogami XLR and Chord Company Signature interconnects 😊

[@williammilligan1451]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you.

[@matthewwright4458]

Hi Tarun, unrelated to the video - thank you for putting me onto the Bootsy Collins song, "I'd Rather Be With You." It's been on repeat since I heard it, just a great, great song. Kind Regards.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Matthew 😊👍

[@lonniefarmer7067]

It took me 5 years and buying REL Preditors to get my LFE set so the room harmonics were tolerable. I love the warmth of my Marantz 8015 but know that there is better revealing equipment out there. PS Audio is very revealing but it won't sugar coat a poor recording and some of my favorites need a bit of flavoring. lol Thanks, and have a great day.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@TheChin86]

Well done and thanks for hard work. It’s such a honest review. Any chance to review kinki studio ex m1+?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I hope to get to it at some point 🙂

[@marcus1970]

This might just be an example of the beauty of seperates!... No one manufacturer makes the best (whatever that actually means) everything... Even when designed for pairing together, the results may still not please some as much as selecting from different manufacturers. Saying all that, Denafrips seems to offer a strong value proposition.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I agree. Thank you Marcus 😊

[@crus7h1]

Hi Tarun. As always I very much appreciate your fact-oriented, thorough and precise presentation, I believe that the biggest question mark remaining after your review hasn‘t got anything to do with the amps you spoke about. There is a good chance you would get a better picture of what Denafrips is really after if you reviewed the Athena/Apollo combo that Denafrips also offers. Admittedly, these are pricier and bigger, but not unreachable for many viewers. Have you considered reviewing them?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Lars. That is much appreciated. It is work a conversation with Alvin at Vinshine about the Athena/Apollo 😊👍

[@markbradbury5266]

Please keep the reviews coming. Really enjoy your videos. If you get a chance, please review the Kinki Studio P7 + M7 combo

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. I appreciate the suggestion 👍

[@sandeshshenoy]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 it would simply brilliant if you could review the Kinki studio Ex-m1+ too! Any suggestions for a 3000 USD pure analog Integrated amplifier would be much appreciated too!

[@mattmarceau8156]

Thanks for the follow up review, Tarun. Maybe a Schiit Freya + review in the future? Schiit’s preamp is balanced and runs south of $1k.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Matt. I hope to get to it in time 😊

[@larrywe3320]

If one can get a GOOD Schiit Freya+ it is awesome... Seems like some units are noisier than others

[@mattmarceau8156]

@@larrywe3320 Interesting…I’ve got the Freya Noval coming, fingers crossed.

[@jonathandavis9507]

The solid state version is quite good, too, and I haven’t seen any YT reviews on it.

[@mjmonjure]

Now I’m scratching my head. As you walk us through various combinations of pre amps and amps and the resulting tonality (or lack of), I seemed to have missed which DAC you were using. You mentioned the Pontus II 12 anv. (Which I recently purchased to replace my very old Burson RTR DAC), but still not sure if that is in fact the DAC used. I was days away from purchasing the Hestia and now I am definitely holding off because I, like you, do not want anything to interrupt the wonderful tonality, 3D sound from the Pontus. I think I need to keep looking for a pre amp that will not do that. I am using a Rotel 120 watt per channel, but will be receiving a new Audiophonics HPA S400 D class power amp.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx for sharing 😊

[@mjmonjure]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Purchased the Hestia, should be fine 😊

[@josephvanalstyne4049]

god bless the queen. rest in peace.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Well said 😊👍

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

Tarun, let me help you think: the Schiit solid state Saga preamp is $400, add a tube buffer for another $200; step up to the solid state Freya for another $200, add a set of 61NP tubes for $949 total (6SN7 tubes or the new MOSFET ‘tubes’ will take you over $1,000 USD).

[@edholmwood]

Another very well presented video. I appreciate your technical insights and thorough reviews. I have , to my ear, found good synergy between my Elac Debut 2.0 F62 towers ,my Cambridge AXR-100 receiver and a Schiit Bifrost GEN 5 Multibit DAC. I am after smooth sound as I like to listen for hours on end.. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend 😊

[@LorDarkGoose]

If the Penguins of Madagascar can't change 'em nothing will! 😂

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are absolutely right 😂👍

[@fon75]

Funny. Those shortcomings you mention are points some other reviewers praise.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@fon75 each to their own 😉

[@jonathanbliss1945]

Hi Tarun, thanks for another great video. You mention your ProAcs again, I just wondered if you have refreshed the drivers or any crossover parts given their age? I have some 2.5s and wondering if it’s worth spending money here? Sorry the question is a little off topic. Although it could be the subject of a video I guess, i.e. what needs to be done to keep older kit in order. Thanks Jon

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

According to the late Stuart Tyler himself. The crossover parts should last a lifetime. He designed them so should know 🙂

[@andyb2474]

Interesting review I am considering getting a Denefrips Athena preamp to accompany my excellent Kinki Studio EX-M7 power amplifier and Hifi Rose 150 streamer and wondered about the it's potential synergy. Apparently they are an excellent match according to Alvin at Vinshine.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I think Kinki do a matching preamp too 🙂

[@2HatHudders]

I'm really tempted to buy the Hyperion and Heista combo, just to a contrast compared to the Willsenton R8 as it as more power and fits my budget.. then I wonder, should I buy even more hifi 😂😭

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Variety is the spice of life 😊

[@brando8923]

Are you ever thinking of doing a video on the Croft acoustics lineup? I, and I’m sure many others, would love to hear your full thoughts on them

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Mike Croft is notoriously difficult to get hold of. If I do one day, I will be asking him 😊

[@carlitomelon4610]

​@abritishaudiophile7314 Impossible to contact now:-/ RiP *Glenn* Croft Hopefully his designs will be respectfully cloned by a company with responsive customer service skills.

[@PauloFerreira-hh6zv]

Thank you for another great review, Tarun. I'm very curious about the Venus II review, do you have any idea when it will be available?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. In the next couple of weeks 👍

[@careylymanjones]

Klipsch RB 61 II speakers with the Reisong A10 tube amp. The Klipsch speakers tend to be a little bright, and the Reisong is a bit rolled off in the treble.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I can see how that combo would work 👍

[@carlitomelon4610]

RIP QE² from an ex-pat Brit. End of an era:-/ Well Tarun, that puts a nail in the Hades' coffin for me;-) Not looking for sterile/accurate. Love my Ares2 for that reason! Recently acquired a Musical Paradise MP 701mk2 preamp for my Bryston 3Bsst amp. A rectifier & signal Valve and capacitor rolling "tweakstation"! So many possibilities, but good timbRe & holographic right out of the box. Basic model is $720+ shipping.... Review one, please? 🎶🤔🎶 PS Burning in a high end amp in your 8year old's bedroom? Classy! 😅

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. She was a remarkable person. May she rest in peace. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@connorduke4619]

Would be interesting to hear you test NAD Class D power amps with the latest Purifi EIgentakt modules, e.g. NAD C298 or NAD M23. And perhaps how these match with a Denafrips preamp as the NAD preamps are more expensive and come with Delta Sigma dacs which are not needed when one has an R2R dac.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I appreciate the suggestion 😊

[@danieloherrick6332]

So, now you need to evaluate Venu II DAC, Athena Pre-Amp, Apollo Power Amp. Maybe pair with the Poseidon Speakers😀 Thanks for the update to your review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks for the suggestions 😊

[@BadChizzle]

It’s fascinating that this cap situation is very much what can ruin the sound of an amp made for guitars as well. Techs who are used to the mind set that more capacitance the better the sound, often miss the point in vintage guitar amps.when recapping an amp, They increase the size of the caps, which sterilizes the harmonic content, killing the magic in the amp. I honestly don’t know how much of this Carries over to your playback power amp conversation, but it is still a thing that comes to mind when I see all those caps in a row. Take care, my friend.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is very interesting. Thank you Chuk. I hope you are well 👍

[@BadChizzle]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Going out on a limb here: Knowing your electronics background, you may have been down this rabbit hole, But… … have you explored tube/valve power amps and preamps? I’m sorry, I’ve not watched all your videos, so forgive me if I should already know this, if I were super attentive to your content. I bring this up because the amps I was referring to earlier were, of course… tube amps. Famously known for their rich and valued even harmonic content being key to their “magic”. It may interest you to explore valves, as a fun sideline adventure. I must say sorry if I’ve already brought this up to you, and am repeating myself. I apparently do that sometimes now, but I consider 66 years to be a good run of not doing that kind of thing… and I believe I can get a handle on it, if it’s now a thing I must battle. Ha ha! I’m hoping I have left you with some inspiration of value, Tarun. Valves are fun, even though, very power hungry and high voltage. Chuk PS: I have a dissertation on Alnico magnets I’d Like to share with you at some point, as well. Well… a theory. 🧐🤣

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@BadChizzle Hi Chuk, I hope to take you up on your suggestion. I have reviewed a few tube integrated amps but not pre/power combinations. I agree, it is a lot of fun tube rolling. I hope I will get to review some tube pre/powers in the near future 😊👍

[@Koru-Health]

I was looking for the Alta Audio Hestia. This would be a cool review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I am organically working my way up to higher price points 😊

[@secretsimon1897]

On these notes I would love a Kinki EX-M7 review and especially a comparison.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I hope to get to it at some point 🙂

[@secretsimon1897]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Btw did you get any reply/input from Alvin/Denafrips regarding the "issue"? On a different note, Alvin/Vinshine has a good connection to Kinki too...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@secretsimon1897 I haven’t spoken to him about the Kinki amps yet. Maybe when the current schedule clears 😊

[@jakobgooijer]

Today the Hestia arrived. After many many years with a tube pre with separate power supply, it is a bit of a shock. Nothing of the open and airy sound and isolated voices remains. The low registers have lost their way with my 2 REL subs and need to be reset. Cold out of the box, this preamp isn't great, but I know from this channel and some other experiences that this Hestia needs a lot of time. So.... patience. 😟

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing. Please let me know how you get on 😊

[@jakobgooijer]

Continued Hestia : After about 250 hours of running, the Hestia has loosened up a bit. I hear that the lowest registers are more powerful and controlled than my tube pre, but there is no airy mids and highs. Although the clarity is certainly more than sufficient, the air in it is not yet as I would wish. Depth and width of the sound image are now more or less the same as the tubes pre and there is still room for improvement. All in all.... patience....

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@jakobgooijer thank you. Worth finding out if they continue to improve 😊

[@jakobgooijer]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 many many hours later the Hestia remains a strange and peculiar product. I know of no pre-amp with these strange perils. Probably because of the O core and the way of volume control, the device is quieter than anything I've ever had here at home. When I - a fan that I am - listen to choral work, I think: I have never heard the purity and beauty of voices in this way. But then.... when I play electronic music with low frequencies, the Hestia gets overconfident and pumps low tones out of my speakers and Rel subs over-enthusiastically. Not that it rattles or booms, but the bass is out of proportion. Next week measurements will be taken in my living room and I'm curious what comes out

[@jakobgooijer]

weeks and weeks later; the first so problematic Hestia who couldn't behave and made me doubt whether I had made a good choice by listening to Tarun, turns out to be a true phenomenon with the right cables. Why were the lows so unformulated, messy and now so goosebumps tight?; why where mids now as crystal clear as a window you think has no glass in it? ; and why have my speakers never shown that the tweeter can be so good? No, not with all interlinks I get this almost unreal, never before experienced sensation. The Tellurium Q Black Ultra II xlr does the job, others, sometimes twice as expensive, don't.

[@bfdpkave1]

Love your videos Taryn, well balanced and precise. Have you hooked your Willsenton R8 to an Pontus II and Hades or Hestia; would this be a good combo ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I have hooked the Pontus II up to the R8 with PS Vane upgraded tubes. Very good combo 👍

[@bfdpkave1]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 would it have benefited from a Hades or Hestia in the chain ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@bfdpkave1 Nope, the R8 is an integrated amplifier so there is no need to add another preamp in the chain 😊

[@zefrog7482]

Hi Taran, Can I ask if you are going to be reviewing the Iota VX AVXP2-840 anytime soon? Looks like a really solid choice for a power amp but no reviews as yet and to be honest there isn't many reviewers I trust besides you for a true perspective.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. That is much appreciated. No plans a yet but I appreciate the suggestion 😊

[@johnharris1846]

good morning Tarun, just wandering if you used balanced or unbalanced interconnects with this evaluation. as always, really enjoy your professional reviews. take care.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Both into the preamp but the power amp only takes the balanced connection 😊

[@Infynyte]

Thank you Tarun for this review. In the Hestia or Hades preamp, it is possible to use the XLR and the RCA output both at the same time simultaneously? Maybe to connect the pream to a power amplifier and a subwoofer too? Kind regards!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I’m not sure, best to check with Alvin at Vinshine Audio 😊

[@Infynyte]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Aha! I will do that. Thank you! :)

[@JBOsurf]

If denafrips ever makes a super integrated with the lot, and HDMI...I'm on board! I'll take mine in silver!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@bullcompost]

Thanks for your brilliant reviews. I was wondering how their DACs sound through their amps. Maybe the two different sounds clash, maybe they compensate each other and sound perfectly balanced. It would be great to know your experience about that. Cheers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Unfortunately, their amps that I have tried don’t get the best out of their DACs 👍

[@bobb.9917]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 my experience as well!

[@JoseGarcia-oo4mc]

Excellent

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@rogerschofield3324]

Thank you for all your reviews , i am addicted to them all. However having ïnvested in the Hades, Thallo and Pontus 15th i do not hear what you did l,inked to Neat Momentum sx3I . This is nagging at me , are you right ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@rogerschofield3324 you should trust your ears. That is the ultimate guide 😊

[@MarcelNL]

I am glad that you made this video. My current setup really absolutely is not my kind of sound and I want to replace everything over time. The Denafrips Ares II will definately come, but I'm not entirely sure about the speakers and the amps. Since what I've heard about the Ares II, I also was strongly interested in amps from Denafrips. I thought that because the Ares II has a rather warm sound, the amps must have the same. My NAD c165BEE + c275BEE combo sounds too cold and clinical for me. The Etude Rhea speakers perhaps also limit the sound somewhat when it comes to warmth and depth. (They only go down to 35Hz while my previous speakers went down to 30.) Can you perhaps make a recommendation for a pre- and power amp of around €2500 - €3000 (combined) that have a warmer sound, but also gives a wider soundstage as what my current set has? (This price can also be for second hand equipment, so the new value of course can be higher.) I think I should take this step before I would replace the speakers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Marcel, there are lots of actors to consider. Start with the speakers first. If you get stuck, check out my Patreon 😊

[@MarcelNL]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks, will do. :) Problem is: my wife likes the looks of our current ones, haha! But maybe adding a modest subwoofer already might improve things a bit?

[@Jason-sr3pr]

Hi Tarun. Thanks for another valuable review. I always appreciate the time, thought and effort you put in to your reviews. Can I ask you to explain what you mean when you say a preamp and amplifier pairing “don’t work”, as you do a few times towards the end of this video? Such a non-specific critique leaves me unsure what type of problem you’re referring to. Many thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jason. Much appreciated. I would generally suggest people get the same brand of preamp and power amp. Even if the specs suggest that another brand will work they synergy from sonic standpoint rarely does 😊👍

[@stimpy1226]

I like to use the term soundfield as well but there has been some crankiness in the AUDIO community about a different meaning between soundstage and soundfield. Can you give me any insight into the difference if any in these two terms?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I think that soundstage is generally used to describe the virtual image presented in front of you as you listen to your system. Soundfield is a more technical term used to describe the dispersion characteristics of the speakers 😊

[@stimpy1226]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 very much appreciated reply. Thank you. Nelson Pass uses the term Soundfield occasionally on video.

[@cybergod77]

on the topic of synergy betwn pre- and power components, would u say it's better to get it from the same manufacturer, otherwise we'll be better off w/ an integrated amp?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It the vast majority of cases, yes 😊

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗👍 TARUN …A GREAT ANALOGY WITH A PAIR OF SHOES 👞

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍

[@thebestoffools]

Just want to express my condolences. From 🇨🇦

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊👍

[@Exgol2005]

Kid's room: burner!🔥 💪

[@johnthompson2664]

I have the Pontus II and I'm considering getting a Denafrips preamp, but for the amp I'd probably use with a NAD class D amp with Purifi Eigentakt, probably the C298 maybe M23. Would the Hestia or Hades be a good match? Speakers are Arendal 1723 S towers. After watching this, seems like the Hestia is a safer choice.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi John, unfortunately there is it way to knowing without trying 😊

[@efrenfranis2515]

Try different power cable...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I did 😊

[@ioannisthpapanagiotou9477]

Why don't you just say that Hestia,Hades & Athena they are unity gain preamps which means zero gain preamps and zero gain preamps can't drive all power amps! They may not be able to do it at all,in fact sometimes For the money as preamps they do have excellent build quality but the matching of the power amp needs a lot lot of attention and knowledge Thank you very very much

[@juicebox853]

Thank you sir. I thought the Hestia looked interesting for the money.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching. It is a good preamp for the money 😊

[@bluemuffin6160]

Cambridge amp or Denafrips? I prefer relaxed sound.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@bluemuffin6160 Cambridge amp 😊

[@damnedseagull6194]

Hi Tarun. Would you consider a review of Denafrips Hyperion?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

No plans for the time being 😊

[@ekjellgren]

So the Hades feeding a Burson headphone amp in power amp mode is a bad match?

[@marcusloo767]

I wish they’d refresh their Artemis

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

2:48 Hmmm... I would say that for most amplifiers this is purely wishful thinking. The reason being that the capacitors are mostly indirectly affecting the sound tonality in most circuits as they are mainly used outside the amplifying part. Now, in Sugden's case, they main capacitors are directly involved in the amplifying circuit but most amplifiers nowadays are not built that way since most have complementary output devices without a need for a capacitor at the output nor, for that matter, any to by-pass the emitter degeneration resistors. So all you are left with are the small capacitors in the voltage amplification stages which are often film capacitors.

[@alexvalgus6299]

M to make

[@chuanyewlee9502]

Interesting review. Looks like denafrips engineers may have designed the pre/power amp combo for tonal transparency as opposed to musicality. Perhaps a change in cables used may help sweeten the sound; such as the use of silver cables in place of copper.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@janulik9535]

is it drier than audiolab 6000a in midrange?

[@JTB--]

Check out the Gustard R26 Discrete if you can. It could be a giant killer of all the Denafrips DACs that cos twice the price of R26

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for the suggestion 😊

[@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926]

RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

She has certainly earned it.RIP 🙏

[@bobb.9917]

I think (am suspicious), that the "thinner" sound preference at Vinshine/Denefrips "may" be a cultural sound preference. Thomas and Stereo references/confirms my suspicions in his latest video about the very interesting Cayin Soul 170i Tube Amp.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

May be 🤔

[@HungryEatNow]

Hestia makes no difference to the sound, literally transparent, one of my worst purchase 😢

[@carlitomelon4610]

Love mine. If you want to *change* the sound the Musical Paradise MP701mk2 is just the ticket! 🎵🎶😊🎶🎵

[@zackpetrovic3029]

Lucky 8yo

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

He may appreciate it when he is older 😂

[@tallpaull9367]

Funny to dedicate Chinese Hifi gear to the Queen, maybe would have been more appropriate to dedicate a video with some British Hifi ;)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Given that she spent a lifetime building bridges between communities around the world, I don’t think she would have minded 😊

[@johnharris1846]

whoops...* wondering

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

You took it away from your son? What did you replace it with? 😂

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

The old Technics Se M100 😊

[@ataoso71]

compré el preamplificador la semana pasada, y debo decir que fue una verdadera decepción. Si vas a usar solo streaming, podría ser una opción, pero si piensas usar vinilos o cds, olvidalo. Es un verdadero pedazo de basura. No lo recomiendo bajo ningún punto de vista

[@exodusvelo]

after 10 minutes, i could not take anymore the barroque and burgeous of the whole british speaking thing, sorry. Overdose. so much for just explaining a device...

[@jameswandiba7929]

Too much rumbling! Just get to the point dude!