Denafrips Ares 15th DAC

[Tessie]

I just find out that my amplifier DAC can not be bypassed! So no DAC for me only a DDC maybe.
Saved me some money.

 

[Jasonovich]

It's a brutal killer though, just like the Denafrips Ares 15th...

Excellent recovery!

 

[James105]

I want to buy the Denafrips Ares 15th DAC for my little desktop system. (PC USB connection)
Is this a good combination or is it a waste of money?

Do you use DIRAC on your M0 if so I think the analogue input will go through an ADC and then DIRAC then the DAC inside the M10 as the processing is done in the digital domain so you may end up hearing the same DAC anyway?

 

[Tessie]

Do you use DIRAC on your M0 if so I think the analogue input will go through an ADC and then DIRAC then the DAC inside the M10 as the processing is done in the digital domain so you may end up hearing the same DAC anyway?

Post in thread 'Denafrips Ares 15th DAC'

Aug 3, 2025

I just find out that my amplifier DAC can not be bypassed! So no DAC for me only a DDC maybe.
Saved me some money.

• Tessie

• 

🙂

 

[Gray]

I just find out that my amplifier DAC can not be bypassed!

We'll be the judge of that 😉

You've told us that it's got a Sabre DAC.
But what is your amp?

 

[James105]

Post in thread 'Denafrips Ares 15th DAC'

Aug 3, 2025

I just find out that my amplifier DAC can not be bypassed! So no DAC for me only a DDC maybe.
Saved me some money.

• Tessie

• 

🙂

Sorry didnt see that thought we'd moved onto fish 🙂

 

[Tessie]

We'll be the judge of that 😉

You've told us that it's got a Sabre DAC.
But what is your amp?

It is in my signature 🔊 🔉 😎

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

I just find out that my amplifier DAC can not be bypassed! So no DAC for me only a DDC maybe.
Saved me some money.

I looked up your amp, on the manufacturer's website and, there is one pair of line-in phono sockets. You should be able to connect an external DAC there.

 

[Tessie]

The line in will go true the DAC

I was reading this @ www.stereophile.com (older M10 V1 version)

The output of the PS Audio was sent to the M10's analog input via 12' single-ended AudioQuest interconnects. However, as the NAD digitizes its analog inputs, the PS Audio's reproduction was affected first by the A/D conversion and then by the M10's D/A conversion.

Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content/nad-masters-series-m10-streaming-integrated-amplifier-page-2

Another source: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...ac&catid=97:amplifier-measurements&Itemid=154

Based on the accuracy and repeatability at various volume levels of the left/right channel matching (see table below), the M10 V2 volume control is likely operating in the digital domain. Consequently, all analog signals are digitized at the M10’s inputs so the unit may apply volume adjustment, bass management, and tone controls. The volume control offers a total range from 0% (-64dB) to 100% (+36dB) in 1dB increments

In fact, the M10 V2 exhibits brick-wall-type filtering just past 20kHz for the analog input, because it is digitized using a 44.1kHz sample rate. In the graph above and most of the graphs below, only a single trace may be visible.

 

[Gray]

the NAD digitizes its analog inputs,

Yes, I thought it might do.
Meaning of course that any advantage of the Denafrips would be negated.

I'm pretty sure I'd prefer the NAD to the Denafrips DAC myself, but that doesn't help you.

 

[Tessie]

Yes, I thought it might do.
Meaning of course that any advantage of the Denafrips would be negated.

I'm pretty sure I'd prefer the NAD to the Denafrips DAC myself, but that doesn't help you.

Yes. But i can still add the IRIS DDC to my PC and NAD. 😀

DENAFRIPS IRIS 12TH Digital Interface DDC or the Gustard U18 DDC

 

[Gray]

Yes. But i can still add the IRIS DDC to my PC and NAD. 😀

How will that avoid going through the NAD Sabre DAC?

 

[Tessie]

How will that avoid going through the NAD Sabre DAC?

The Iris is a DDC not a DAC.

 

[Gray]

The Iris is a DDC not a DAC.

Yes I know.
But how does it fit in with the NAD?

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Spending large amounts on a DAC doesn't achieve much. Unless it's for the visual aesthetics.

 

[Gray]

Spending large amounts on a DAC doesn't achieve much.

That's the bottom line - when the 'reviewers' are honest about the differences.

I wouldn't mind the latest from Topping, the D900, their most expensive yet.
I'm pretty sure I'd hear some improvement over the DACs I've heard / use - but I'm more sure that any improvement could not possibly justify the price difference.

 

[Jasonovich]

That's the bottom line - when the 'reviewers' are honest about the differences.

I wouldn't mind the latest from Topping, the D900, their most expensive yet.
I'm pretty sure I'd hear some improvement over the DACs I've heard / use - but I'm more sure that any improvement could not possibly justify the price difference.

The D900 looks to be a decent DAC, judging by the reviews.

There's always a big gulf in what you have to pay to get a small sound improvement.

The purest of the audiophile will see it as worth investing, the more frugal members of the HiFi community, will look at the competition and then, make a judgement what is VfM and choose to buy the one that suits their pocket.

If I hadn't spent £2K-£3K on photography, I could have got myself the finest Denafrips 🙂 but I'm getting so much pleasure from capturing fast motion wild life, using my Nikon camera.
Is it worth getting some uplift in sound quality, when photography can give you life changing experiences, such as a change of perspective in life?

I do wish HiFi as a hobby was more align in terms of value with other hobbies and I think Gray, your brother will vouch for me!

I'm waiting in anticipation for my Tamron zoom lenses to arrive in the next couple of days. Look at these bad boys. Next week, it's picnic with friends at the Shuttleworth Air show, I'm ready and prepared for some amazing photography!

I'm always a happy amateur photographer even with poor shots, I can always cheat using Adobe Lightroom ha ha ha but it seems many of us in the sphere of hifi are so much more grumpier. Why is that?
I think that's a thread someone can start 🙂

 

[Gray]

The D900 looks to be a decent DAC, judging by the reviews.

There's always a big gulf in what you have to pay to get a small sound improvement.

The purest of the audiophile will see it as worth investing, the more frugal members of the HiFi community, will look at the competition and then, make a judgement what is VfM and choose to buy the one that suits their pocket.

If I hadn't spent £2K-£3K on photography, I could have got myself the finest Denafrips 🙂 but I'm getting so much pleasure from capturing fast motion wild life, using my Nikon camera.
Is it worth getting some uplift in sound quality, when photography can give you life changing experiences, such as a change of perspective in life?

I do wish HiFi as a hobby was more align in terms of value with other hobbies and I think Gray, your brother will vouch for me!

I'm waiting in anticipation for my Tamron zoom lenses to arrive in the next couple of days. Look at these bad boys. Next week, it's picnic with friends at the Shuttleworth Air show, I'm ready and prepared for some amazing photography!

I'm always a happy amateur photographer even with poor shots, I can always cheat using Adobe Lightroom ha ha ha but it seems many of us in the sphere of hifi are so much more grumpier. Why is that?
I think that's a thread someone can start 🙂

View attachment 9698

I'm glad you're enjoying the photography Jason.
And yes, Adobe, brother showed me the adjustments that can be made to the raw images (including AI cleverness).....amazing stuff - and (relatively) great value.