Denafrips product owners please fall in

[Todcakes]

Really interesting @RikkiPoo.

I believe the USB input into the T+ and TII is very well regarded, but if Denafrips are clearly calling out the i2S as the top of the pile then at some stage I fear I'm going to become too curious to avoid evaluating that DAC input for myself.

I think for single USB use cases (like mine and I'm guessing yours) you may be absolutely right - buying a Gaia (or Hermes) DDC may involve spending a lot of extra money for a flexibility that may not be needed.

Had a look at those Sommer clock cables - if they come recommended from Alvin then adding an IRIS at some stage may not be as $$$ painful as I had originally feared as I already have a nice spare power cable and it would just be the I2S cable where the main extra costs would be found. May I ask if this is like the cable you have (75 Ohms BNC)? https://www.thomann.de/gb/sommer_cable_bnc_kabel_75_ohm_2m.htm

'After the clocking experience with the Iris and T+, I went a little nuts and clocked by network switches....'

Wow....I don't think I've stumbled across this level of dedication to clocking and optimising on the switches too. Your networking environment sounds utterly facscinating....

I'm sure it's the last upgrade you'll need.......until the next one

May I ask what I2S cable you're using into the T+?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences with me in this area.

 

[Jaytor]

I also found i2s to be superior, including to AES3 which I was using before getting the Gaia. Even with an inexpensive HDMI cable, I though i2s was the superior interface. I am now using a Tubulus Argentus cable, but the difference between this and a $12 cable from Amazon is more subtle than most of the cable upgrades I've made - NO WHERE NEAR as significant as adding the Gaia and switching to i2s in the first place.

 

[RikkiPoo]

Here are the cables recommended.

HDMI i2s: https://usashop.sommercable.com/en/Cable/HiFi-Home/Multimediakabel-EXCELSIOR-BlueWater-EBH4.html
BNC SPDIF: https://usashop.sommercable.com/en/Cable/BNC-Video-Cable/Wordclock-SC-Focusline-L-Highflex-FL59.html

The HDMI cable replaced an Audioquest Coffee and the Sommer was better and a bargain for $ 100. I am using an Audioquest Thunderbird 48 which is much much better than both.

It is on my list to some day to try other clock cables and another HDMI cable.

 

[Abyss Man]

Hi guys,
I'm using Tellurium Black Diamonds as my clock cables, they replaced Canare cables which I had got while waiting for the BD arrival. I also have some SoTm clock cables in my system and they too are really good. As for Power cords, I'm on Tellurium Silver Diamond on my TP and Silver on my Gaia, which is going to be replaced by a SD PC as well which should be arriving soon.

Gaia scales very well with Power cords and also the clocking cables as I have found out. My USB is the Tubulus Argentus for now. The itch has not come yet to upgrade it. LOL.

Looking very much to plugging in the SD to the Gaia, should be a good upgrade.

 

[Todcakes]

@Jaytor @RikkiPoo and @Abyss Man thank you for sharing your range of cables and your observations. It does seem from what you’ve shared that perhaps a low-key outlay on clock and i2S cables can - with some recommendations - get some more than acceptable results (e.g compared to USB or RCA cables perhaps where I really feel performance can be quite poor at very low budgets). Those Sommers of @RikkiPoo might be a sweet spot and my likely starting point on an Iris on boarding to the DDC concept should I end up there (that’s probably a ‘when’...). Doesn’t stop me drooling over your DDC setup, @Abyss Man - I use the Tellerium Q Black IIs on my speakers and they are very fine...I can only imagine the product range step up in results thinking of your clock cables and power chords from the same manufacturer powering and linking the Gaia / TP combo. Envious of that, and frankly all of your T+ listening chains with Denafrips DDCs - I do hope these a providing you fantastic listening experiences

 

[Abyss Man]

@Jaytor @RikkiPoo and @Abyss Man thank you for sharing your range of cables and your observations. It does seem from what you’ve shared that perhaps a low-key outlay on clock and i2S cables can - with some recommendations - get some more than acceptable results (e.g compared to USB or RCA cables perhaps where I really feel performance can be quite poor at very low budgets). Those Sommers of @RikkiPoo might be a sweet spot and my likely starting point on an Iris on boarding to the DDC concept should I end up there (that’s probably a ‘when’...). Doesn’t stop me drooling over your DDC setup, @Abyss Man - I use the Tellerium Q Black IIs on my speakers and they are very fine...I can only imagine the product range step up in results thinking of your clock cables and power chords from the same manufacturer powering and linking the Gaia / TP combo. Envious of that, and frankly all of your T+ listening chains with Denafrips DDCs - I do hope these a providing you fantastic listening experiences

Hi @Todcakes,
Thank you for the kind words, Rome was not built in a day sir. Take your time and enjoy the upgrade ride. Take it slow and enjoy it. If you could please share your upgrades. If you don't mind, keep a look out for used gear as well. As for me, I started with Tellurium's Black range and then upgraded to their higher ranges when finance allowed. My audio guy is a brilliant chap and takes in my cables at a very good price which really helps matters.

personally, I have an extremely cordial relationship with my audio guy which kinda makes things easier and he carries all my favourite gear to boot, so a win win situation for me.

 

[alvin1118]

Hello Guys,

Just sent a Production Update of the Pontus II DAC.

Shipping will happen soon!

Happy Easter!

 

[alvin1118]

Denafrips Hermes DDC is the icing of the cake in my system

Denafrips Hermes DDCDDC or “Digital to Digital Converter” is hard to review without also saying words about the i2S/HDMI connectivity interface, because i2S is the Denafrips Hermes output alternative with the widest bandwidth and it separates clock signals from data signal transfer. On Denafrips...

www.denafrips.com

Credit: Happy customer: Tom, Norway

 

[Chrispb1]

Hi all. Is anybody using MiniDSP SHD with Gaia and Terminator plus? I’m currently with Terminator plus and MiniDSP SHD, the improvements with room correction are profound, however Spidf out is the only option and I wonder if, a, despite the improvements from room correction, the signal is of a lower quality due to passing through the MiniDSP? and b, in this context would the Gaia actually bring any improvement to the party. Thanks

 

[Chrispb1]

Thank you for posting that out I mistakingly didnt carefully read #357 thinking that it was only describing the Plus model . I see now that the T2 comes close to the T+ , it also seem that it would a tall order to update the Original T to the T2 ..Thanks again

If it helps I owned the T2 and upgraded to the T + and would say it’s a significant improvement, not close at all, as far as DAC’s go, on an already fine DAC. I’ve never heard a T1 so can’t comment on improvements over that.

 

[Todcakes]

If it helps I owned the T2 and upgraded to the T + and would say it’s a significant improvement, not close at all, as far as DAC’s go, on an already fine DAC. I’ve never heard a T1 so can’t comment on improvements over that.

When did you buy your TII, Chris? Confess I was quite surprised to hear this as I thought the TII had only been announced and sold by Denafrips very recently?

 

[Jaytor]

I suspect he might be confusing the T2 with the Terminator with upgraded DSP and/or the inline change Denafrips made around April 2020
where they upgraded to EVOX caps and TXCO oscillators.

This was still the original Terminator though, not the TII.

 

[RikkiPoo]

I had the original Terminator and upgraded the DSP. I have the Terminator Plus now and it is a significant improvement but not as big as adding the Iris with clock out from the Terminator Plus.

 

[Todcakes]

@RikkiPoo You've piqued my interest on the IRIS fed by USB using DAC clock out connections over the preceding weeks, for sure. I'm sold. Once UPS UK finally moves my Terminator II onto a delivery truck from where it has been sat motionless in a UK warehouse I'll be able to gather my feelings about whether I want any improvements to my audio experience in the near future. Give it a month or two

Vinshine have confirmed - if anyone is curious - when the very first Terminator II units shipped from Denafrips: it was a small window in Feb 2021. They then had 5 or 6 weeks with Chinese holidays and no stock until the rest shipped from April 7th. Mine shipped from China on the 8th, took two days to get to within 100 miles of may door in the UK, and hasn't moved an inch since then. UPS claim Brexit, Covid, basically anybody but them as the cause of the delays. No end in sight. I'm DAC-less in a DAC filled world.... *sigh*

 

[Blake]

If you have a Denafrips DAC that has the clock out feature (TPlus, T2), it would be a travesty not to take advantage of this technology.

Once you have reached that level of performance and spent that kind of money, a Denafrips DDC and some clock cables (you might really only need one cable depending upon your music library) are a comparatively cheap way to inject an additional significant performance increase in your system.

Try it.... You will be grinning ear to ear!

 

[abg12]

Would be nice if Denafrips made a terminator that doesn't have all the components that are made redundant by a Gaia. And so the two are sold together in a package. Would be great.

 

[Todcakes]

If you have a Denafrips DAC that has the clock out feature (TPlus, T2), it would be a travesty not to take advantage of this technology.

Once you have reached that level of performance and spent that kind of money, a Denafrips DDC and some clock cables (you might really only need one cable depending upon your music library) are a comparatively cheap way to inject an additional significant performance increase in your system.

Try it.... You will be grinning ear to ear!

@Blake @RikkiPoo you win

I’ve just ordered a Denafrips DDC (Iris) to add between my (yet to arrive) TII and Auralic Aries G1 (with Hoer-Wege PSU plus the highly regarded Nimak Purple USB, for anyone interested).

Just sold a $1000 bit of Hifi so figured I’d use that money and a small bit extra on a DDC ecosystem. @RikkiPoo has now convinced me that such entry level Denafrips DDC options are 100% worth it with their higher end DACs when they possess clock-out capabilities.

Heck I don’t have a fortune to spend here. Reckon I’ve about 600-700-$ to spend (tops) on TII-out clock (x2) and a i2S HDMI cables, but surely that will be adequate for this IRIS environment? Suggestions - especially those from trial and error would be most grateful.

My preferences for cables: I absolutely value transparency and detail, but in the same breath I must say that thin and fatiguing sounds bother me hugely. So I’d happily trade resolution to avoid that. Currently thinking Sommercable for clock cables, as Alvin recommends, which I guess leaves 400$ max on an i2S HDMI (1m ish)

Thank you in advance

 

[RikkiPoo]

@Blake @RikkiPoo you win

I’ve just ordered a Denafrips DDC (Iris) to add between my (yet to arrive) TII and Auralic Aries G1 (with Hoer-Wege PSU plus the highly regarded Nimak Purple USB, for anyone interested).

Just sold a $1000 bit of Hifi so figured I’d use that money and a small bit extra on a DDC ecosystem. @RikkiPoo has now convinced me that such entry level Denafrips DDC options are 100% worth it with their higher end DACs when they possess clock-out capabilities.

Heck I don’t have a fortune to spend here. Reckon I’ve about 600-700-$ to spend (tops) on TII-out clock (x2) and a i2S HDMI cables, but surely that will be adequate for this IRIS environment? Suggestions - especially those from trial and error would be most grateful.

My preferences for cables: I absolutely value transparency and detail, but in the same breath I must say that thin and fatiguing sounds bother me hugely. So I’d happily trade resolution to avoid that. Currently thinking Sommercable for clock cables, as Alvin recommends, which I guess leaves 400$ max on an i2S HDMI (1m ish)

Thank you in advance

Sadly the cables matter and you will have more $ invested in them than the Iris. I am using the Sommer clock cables and haven't tested them against others, ignorance is bliss. I have used an AudioQuest Coffee HDMI then the Sommer then an AudioQuest Thunderbird48. The Thunderbird is way better and the Sommer was better than the Coffee which makes is a good value. I wish I had more experience with HDMI cables. I am using a Wywires Digital Juice II power cord. I'm not using the Sommer or Coffee if your interested but for $ 400 you can probably do better.

 

[Jaytor]

I'm using DH Labs D750 cables for the clock (1M with BNC is $175 retail). Their digital cables are an excellent value.

For i2s, I did not have the same experience as RikkiPoo. While the better i2s cable was noticeable, it was a fairly subtle difference IMHO. But I might have gotten lucky with my first HDMI cable. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KNR8DP3

I'm now using a Tubulus Argentus cable which was $550 for a 0.75m cable. It sounds great, but I'm not convinced it's worth the cost. It is slightly smoother sounding than the $11 HDMI cable I bought off Amazon mentioned above, but adding the Gaia with the cheap i2s cable provided a significantly better SQ improvement than moving up to the more expensive i2s cable. The Gaia+i2S was immediately obvious and a pleasant surprise, while the i2s cable change was much more subtle.

Edit: I should note that I have not tried other clock cables. I've been very pleased with the DH Labs cables for SPDIF and AES3 (where I have tried a few others), so I just went with them for the clocks. It's quite possible the Sommer cables are as good or better.

 

[Blake]

I'd say to just go for inexpensive clock and HDMI cables to start. Yes, some of us went all-in on crazy expensive cables (myself included, but I am a big cable believer), but frankly, I would just live with the cheaper cables to start with and enjoy the awesomeness of the sound improvements from clock-out and superior I2S input on the DAC. When budget allows and if you feel like experimenting, then sure, go for it but who knows, you might just determine you are sufficiently happy and have no desire to go nuts on cables.