Can a terrific Topping DAC replace my beloved Denafrips Ares II? 

Which bad joke did you like best? Ocho, Chips or Measurements? lol

The first listening of my ARES 12th-1 brought tears to my eyes. That's what music's all about!

I love your measurements. They are way more accurate than any other I have seen. Great video. Thx.

Great review! I like the Octo so far, it needs appropriate speakers to match, it can get a little bright depending on which ones you pair it with. Keep the videos coming 👌

Measurements joke .. Ha! I'm the same way. Sound is way more important to me than measurements. Sure you want things like low THD but if it is too low, you could be missing out on those lower harmonics that can be so pleasing.

love the measurement graph.

Waiting for the Wiim Ultra which integrates a display screen (maybe a touchscreen?) with a streamer, dac and more inputs. Probably competing more with eversolo, fiio, cambridge and bluesound though.

Sound is so much more important than measurememts

I always find something useful with your videos. I mostly listened to vinyl for years and now I have done the cd player and multiple dac thing as well. I have the ares and a comparable smsl dac. I am surprised how different they are. I didn’t spend as much on the cd player though. You went all out! Picked up a used but fairly modern Marantz player. Great investment. There is something i find different in the timing i find hard to explain when i go from streaming to physical cds. Just more locked in somehow. And on things I have streamed forever and then get the actual cd I can hear more details or a slight bump in quality. I try not to buy too much physical media though. Mostly just at concerts right now. When I go into record stores I just get overwhelmed 😢😂. I like to save money for more gear 😊

Ive just subbed on the back of the measurements graph and your views on them. I’ve never understood the appeal of using measurements as a primary basis for a purchase. I just use my ears and go for which one I like the sound of. If I can’t hear much difference I go for whichever has the connectivity/functionality/looks/price to suit my needs. I couldn’t care less what the SINAD (or whatever it is) looks like.

I just bought a rotel 1980s five cd platter for $5 so I use that dac for my 5000 cds of music. It does hdcds too.

I have been there. Streamers with displays, fancy dacs, with fancy displays. I still own the Ares II and since last year a Holo May KTE. I wouldn’t go for something with a display anymore. I really do not see any value into.

Did you try LDAC for Bluetooth though? That would have been interesting for you to experience.

Love da oucho. I recently got a new bluesound node. The built in dac is better than my Wiim pro (big time), better than the Geshelli Lab J2 ak4493 dac, better than TI dac in my Rotel preamp. Bass is so much more engaging and dynamic, like Rotel, but also has midrange clarity and detail of Geshelli lab J2. I was surprised how well it sounds in comparison to the others, so much so that I want a dual mono AK4499ex dac based on reviews I hear on RU-vid. But wow, Bluesound node built in dac sounds the best so far to me in my limited set of Dacs.

Dang, that's alot of chips, classic, lololol. Great review!

Nice video Aaron, just go easy on the spinach next time you are switching out cables! 💪💪💪

I just grabbed the Octo. It’s impressive.

Hi threre, what firmware are you running on the Ares II? Thanks

GM☕️ I just got the new Denafrips Ares 12-1 …and I think I’d have to go deep into the fundings to get better ..Venus, HaloMay, Terminator?

Forever Analog? What all this DAC stuff? I have a vintage system and was wondering if this would be a great option for my B&O CD player and what would be an advantage to getting one?

Amazon Basics RCAs on a Schiit Saga +!?!!, you barbarian!! JK, I use the same cables, nice review. One thing that kinda annoys me with these higher-end really nice feature packed DACs from Topping and SMSL is with their multiple inputs, and volume control they are so very close to making a full on pre-amp with a really good DAC onboard (which would be a super successful I would think) but never quite get there and instead introduce yet another iteration of the same DAC based on a different chipset instead of giving us something truly new which is a bit of a shame.

And that’s why I avoid “audiophile” or otherwise cables that have death grip connectors. Those connectors that are meant to have a tight fit around the jack always make me nervous to break the actual plug off the equipment

?Basically these are the dacs you would get from a good new receiver? Do they do sacd?

BTW recently I watched your review of the Schiit Saga and got a Saga S. Just FYI, try to remove your pre from the chain and use Dsp volume instead. There is a significant impact from having the schiit at least for me, seriously degrading the sound quality.

That spectrum analyzer is enough for me to buy it. That looks killer. And I’m sure it sounds good enough

Thank you for the video. Are you planning for a give away of any of the DACa? Appreciate if you can give it away to me 😅.

You're comparing a ladder resistor DAC with a solid state that has preamp and streaming capabilities? I'll take the Ares II any day.

I have the Denafrips Enyo, otherwise known as the AresII, With the first updated firmware upgrade. I dont think it has the second/most recent update. In my system chain and Im afraid to even mess with and try putting another dac in my system. I just love the sound I am getting. I have another Ares II with the most recent update just laying around because my ears tell me I have no reason to switch it out. It just sounds and feels right. I watch all the videos on dacs at the same price point as the AresII, but nothing has convinced me to think I need to change it out. It seems the only way Im gonna do any experimenting and switch it out is if I spend the cash and go up the Denafrips Dac chain.

How has the URD been? Any issues

You can use any coax cable...left or right will work. I use single subwoofer cable as digital audio cable. Is there really a difference?

Ok, next!. LAIV Harmony please!

Don’t see how they are in the same category. Denafrips is for a more entrenched audiophile with higher noise affected devices while the Octo is for a person who continues to chase these ess and akm chips and never satisfied 😅

I came here for the chip, turns out it's not disappointing... LOL

Interesting to see a DAC shootout on a "forever Analog" Channel 😅

Punchy and very fast stop and go sounding is a typical high end sound that is not true to a live sound of instruments. I don't know how they are doing it but it's a bit to far from reality.

Everyone says measurements are not important but what if it doesn't fit on your rack? You can't even use it.

Had the Topping D50s for a few years. Finally tried to use the COAX input about a year ago... but signals won't lock (a known issue all over the internet) and factory wants me to send it back to China... Oh well... Threw it away ! Never again... Customer Service is non existent for these ChiFi crap.

BS! The Ares2 has much larger soundstage, good layering and more holographic

conclusion, expensive hifi doesn't sound better just different

You don't listen to features or measurements. Nice job.

Is this guy seriously doing an audio review with an $8 coax cable....? I'm out.

Topping broke the market with their D30 Pro DAC. Everything after that you are just paying for looks.