Thanks for the thoughtful post. English is just fine! Funny that when I was asking around about Roon on a speaker forum one of the users said the PS Direct Stream was flawless. Out of the box it just works and zero problems with Roon.
R2R just seems to what I have focused on based on my reading alone. You know how it can be once you get something in your head, it just sort of sits there and eats at you. I fear if a get a chip now I will always wonder, what if. Perhaps, I’ll start there and if no joy at least I’ll know I gave it a go.
I’ve not looked into it at all. If I get a DAC that is not a streamer can I simply take the DAC HAT off my RPi 4 and use Riopeee to feed the new DAC…that is till I get the perfect streamer, linear power supply and proper cabling
Fascinating, that the most basic, direct and discrete implementation of DA conversion is theoretically almost impossible - and still people do it. With great results (from what is written).
I‘m not familiar with the RPi, but I guess your route should work just fine. Others will be able to make informed statements.
Overall it sounds like a great upgrade plan: replacing a HAT with a top DAC. Benchmarking against a beloved vinyl system. I‘m very much looking forward to read about your experience.
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Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
23
Yep. No problem.
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Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
24
“discrete”, I think you mean.
But making things out of discrete components in the electronics world is almost obsolete these days. Kind of like building rule-based logic instead of statistical networks, in the AI world.
About rule based / discrete vs. machine learning / integrated circuits: it sounds like a good analogy, but the more I think about it, the less it works (for me).
Just tell Ropieee that you want to use USB and don’t specify any HAT.
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Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
27
Yeah, I admit I feel the same way.
But it’s not just integrated circuits – it’s about using large-scale components, whether they be ICs or networking software stacks or pre-assembled mass-produced circuit boards.
If was only allowed one word it would be wow, no WOW!
A week ago Tuesday I figure I’d go the baby step route with Dafnafrips. The Ares II price is small potatoes in the Audio world and they had them in stock (many of the other models were 4-6 weeks out). I figured I could always sell it, as there are plenty of Wanted add on USAudiomart.
Here I am the following Thursday, just 10 days later, and it showed up on my doorstep. Vinshine email said it would get her next Monday the 9th. What a nice early birthday surprise (tomorrow). I’m not working tomorrow and I know what I’ll be doing in the morning before the wife and dog are up and about.
Room forums are great. I got my questions answered about my Pi4. Pretty straight forward. Network switch to Pi, tell Pi4 to ignore my HAT and send out USB. USB cable to the DAC. Add it as a device in Roon and Boom! Now we are talking, noticeable improvement. Not just different better in every way.
I’m not sure I’ve surpassed my TT configuration, but this is HUGE step in the right direction. @Philipp_Schaefer sorry, but you know how it is when you get something new you want to try it out ASAP. So just whatever cables I had on hand…nothing fancy Lots of potential places to still drain my wallet.
Bass is noticeably tighter/faster, soundstage is wide and deep with good separation of voices and instruments. Most of what I was lacking/wanting previously.
For a one box addition to my current line up this was a vast improvement.
Ahhh, this is great - makes me very happy to read about your experience with your new DAC.
This is so much joy: imagining a change, addition, getting your head around the topic/task, weighin the alternatives, questioning everything again, taking the risk, making a decision, ordering, awaiting the arrival, installing it, as slowly as possible, but quickly, sitting down, deciding on what to hear first, hitting play, ——, ohhh, realising, yes, this is it, yes, it is better, yeah, … wohooo!
Isn’t that funny when you get a new piece of equipment how you actually try and decide what to play first. I think most of us do that…everyone I know that takes music seriously does.
For me the biggest thing with this new DAC has been how it has breathed new life into my 80s/90s music. Bands like The Cure, The Cult, REM, Wallflowers, Smashing Pumpkins, Gin Blossoms, U2, Better than Ezra, Inxs, Lit, etc. There is so much inside the music I was missing. I’ve always had a decent CD player but they never sounded like this.
I think with my vinyl I was always searching out the best recordings be they first releases, reissues, 45RPMs from original analogue tapes. I pretty much spared no expense. With the sliver discs in their annoying packaging I was just playing them round the house on various systems as background music. Any time I listened to them on my “serious” system they were just sort of meh, whatever. Sure the actual music was what I liked; emotional, toe-tapping, soundtrack of my life, what have you. But it was not engaging. Very few moments where I sat up, took notice and said wow that sounds incredible. Lots of those moments with old Jazz on well recorded/mastered LPs. I’m finding now that a LOT of my FLAC rips of common CDs have a ton of great nuggets hidden inside them. Fun to rediscover them for the first time!!!
Pretty sure I’ll be selling the Ares II and moving up the Denafrips food chain now that I see what is possible in a quality DAC.
Anyone on the fence with the Ares II at is relatively easy to swallow price don’t be shy.
For anyone following along at home. My Ares II was short-lived. Just over 2 weeks. I did exactly what I didn’t want to do. Sold it after buying a Denafrips Venus II… could not quite stomach the T/T+ as I still not sold on digital for critical listening.
At 4X the price and only…say…10% improvement I’m a tad disappointed. I’ll give it a bit more time. I really enjoy it but was hoping for more.
Perhaps the dream of selling all my wax to retire early has to take a back seat to enjoying music in my very limited spare time.
It’s the problem with not being able to demo stuff prior. It actually sounds better, but you really have to listen closely and have really high quality recordings. On 80% or so of my listening it was a wash.
I must not be reading the same stuff as you. I was under the impression that the Venus was the Sam front end (resistors, etc.) As Terminator…but lessor power supply.
My comparisons were NOS. Only a few hours over a couple of days with very familiar recordings. I needed to get the Ares shipped out to new buyer.
If you believe the burn in hype the Ares had 2 weeks the Venus a couple of days or less. We will see. Stay tuned.
Tell me more about DSD1024 and PCM1536 with regard to the two. I’m not sold on ultra high Rez but trying to keep an open mind. IMHO it is all about the recording and mastering.
For the record the Venus is a killer piece of gear to hold and look at. Fantastic build quality. The Ares is more budget minded or toy-like. But that doesn’t really matter to me…just a nice side benefit.
I can’t get behind this theory about burning in digital equipment, not so it would make any perceivable difference.
I’m not the person to get down in the weeds about oversampling. My understanding is that one oversamples to give the filters more to work with, so to speak.
Someone will explain more technically, I’m guessing.
Mostly agree.
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Bill_Janssen
(Wigwam wool socks now on asymmetrical isolation feet!)
37
If burn-in makes a difference, return the gear, because it was defective to begin with.
