[Huck]

Hi:
Currently I am looking at the Denafrips Ares II to be used with one Oppo Blu-ray player and one Copland CD player.
I will be going to the Aries with a digital RCA Coax from the Copland and a Optical toslink from the Oppo Blu-ray player.
All this will be going to a Parasound P6 pre-amp via RCA.
Any other DAC I should be checking out,for roughly the same money?Thanks.

[walkern]

I am currently using a similar system with an Oppo Blue Ray player feeding my Aries II and I love it.  The only thing I've heard that sounds close was an MHDT Pagoda that had been slightly modded (better fuse, output coupling caps and a NOS WE tube), and I don't think it was better... just comparable. The Pagoda costs more, so stick to your plan.

[Huck]

I compared all three dacs and the Copland CDA-822 and Oppo BDP-95 sound the same to me,but both sound better than the dac in the P6.
Still kinda on the fence about buying something I can't see/touch/play first.
I know the Ares II has been getting good reviews,so I hope it beats the three onboard dacs I have now for sound quality.I wonder when the newer version(III) will come out?.Thanks.

[mick wolfe]

I've had the original Ares for well over 2 years. If it were to fail in any way, I'd go for an Ares II or Pontus without hesitation. I really like the overall build quality and sound of the Denafrips DAC's.

[viggen]

I am comparing Ares2 against D90MQA.  Leaning towards Ares2 now.

[SlushPuppy]

Hi:
Currently I am looking at the Denafrips Ares II to be used with one Oppo Blu-ray player and one Copland CD player.
I will be going to the Aries with a digital RCA Coax from the Copland and a Optical toslink from the Oppo Blu-ray player.
All this will be going to a Parasound P6 pre-amp via RCA.
Any other DAC I should be checking out,for roughly the same money?Thanks.

My best friend has that combination (Ares II and Oppo player). He really likes it. As a vinyl guy with an expensive turntable he says it is very good for the money.

[Huck]

Changed my mind on the AresII,now looking seriously at the Denafrips Pontus II.
I plan to use it with speakers and cd transport,but I see lots of peeps using it in a streaming scenerio...something else I should be looking at for cd transport/speaker use?Thanks,Huck

[viggen]

why can't you use the same dac for streaming and transport for speakers?

[Huck]

why can't you use the same dac for streaming and transport for speakers?

Streaming won't be my main use. I want to plug the digital coax output from my CD player into Pontus to bypass the internal DAC on cd player. I have no streaming capability where my main stereo room is located,but I have it in my upstairs headphone set-up...computer>USB to Benchmark DAC 1 USB.
I have no room to use Pontus with my headphone set-up,I need a small footprint unit here.Thanks,Huck