It depends on the quality of the cable too. I use an MIT AES/EBU, which costs almost as much as an Yggy, but which does make a difference. I get the freakish micro detail from my transport through that cable, others are less successful.
Denafrips Terminator dac ...
- Thread starter joeinid
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It depends on the quality of the cable too. I use an MIT AES/EBU, which costs almost as much as an Yggy, but which does make a difference. I get the freakish micro detail from my transport through that cable, others are less successful.
Understandable. I don't play DSD.
There is progress, with running the DAC continuously. The DAC is even more outrageously detailed than my Yggy1. The sound seems a bit more natural than even just yesterday. Very transparent sound. The 6th string quartet by Bartok (Emerson Quartet, DGG) had sounded very detailed with the Yggy, but the last slow movement with its legato playing fell a bit flat. Not so with the Terminator. The string sound maintains detailed vibrancy, and has a transparent "there" quality. Its mind blowing how good this is. There is also enormous energy.
There is excellent rhythm and timing (rock) and the bass is incredibly precise. Quantity of bass is still a bit underwhelming, but I expect that to change.
Next week a friend will bring his Yggy2, then I can compare. I'm prepared for a long slog of break in.
There is excellent rhythm and timing (rock) and the bass is incredibly precise. Quantity of bass is still a bit underwhelming, but I expect that to change.
Next week a friend will bring his Yggy2, then I can compare. I'm prepared for a long slog of break in.
nc42acc
New member
jbtrio
Member
Going from my transport, I like it better with NOS off.
audio.bill
Active member
Here's a new review of the Denafrips Terminator DAC from Audio Bacon.
nc42acc
New member
This is the review I would have written if I could have written a review. Replace the names of all the DACs he compared to the ones I have had and it is exactly my sentiments.
rjc1845
Member
The various reviews of the Termy seem to vary. Some find it slightly on the warm side of neutral while others find it slightly cool of neutral. Guess it’s system dependent.
I also play from transport and use upsampling, with NOS off.
Yes, that seems to be the case. I actually bought the DAC hoping for a weightier and warmer sound on orchestral music, while still having great resolution of micro detail. All the reviews that I had read suggested that it would go that way. Instead I got supreme transparency and even better resolution of micro detail than the Yggy1. Is it less warm, cooler, than the Yggy? I don't think so, the sound is just more illuminated from within, translucent.
Regardless, I'm hooked. Once you've heard that transparency, it's hard to go back. I checked my impressions from post #103 with a direct comparison. My memory did serve me correctly. The Yggy1 sounds slightly subdued in comparison with the sublime transparency of the Terminator, which may contribute to why on the legato playing in the slow mvmt. of Bartok's 6th string quartet there is more perceived micro-resolution of tone with the Terminator. Also elsewhere there is just that extra fraction of micro detail. Let's see how the Yggy2 compares, which I should be able to listen to next week.
After continued break-in, the bass quantity now is in more normal, comfortable territory. The precision of the bass and the PRAT are outrageous. When the drummer hits the kickdrum in rapid fire repeats, you hear each kick clearly and separately.
So what do I do with the weight of tone? I need an active preamp anyway (my otherwise extremely resolving Pass B1 buffer strains on orchestral music), and perhaps the natural partner for my Octave 320 amp, the Octave HP 700 pre, will deliver that. I'll find out upon audition. And I can get it with an optional module for balance and tone control, which I may employ just for certain orchestral recordings, and which otherwise can be by-passed. That module alone costs more than an Yggy, but that's another story. I'd rather spend a large amount of money on a really great preamp than on a DAC. DAC performance just changes too fast, and a DAC like the Terminator already has outrageous resolution, a resolution that I want my preamp to capture at its fullest.
Yes, that's quite the review. I am wondering why he didn't use the AES/EBU (which I use) or i2S inputs of the DAC, inputs that usually are considered superior. This might have lead to a slightly different assessment of the naturalness of tone, but who knows.
Another thought about naturalness of timbre. I don't believe in audiophile power cords after having experienced some mucking up of the sound by quite expensive ones (e.g., more synthetic sound of massed strings from a DAC, aargh). The reviewer in Audio Bacon uses audiophile power cords, so that may be part of his assessment of tone. I use standard power cords, more specifically the 14AWG cable from Tripp Lite that you can buy at Amazon for $ 6.43.
Several of my audiophile friends have also lately reverted to stock power cords, and experience a more natural sound.
In any case, one characteristic that I forgot to mention from my listening impressions of Terminator vs. Yggy1, but which seems a common thread through diverse kinds of music: the Terminator DAC simply sings more.
Several of my audiophile friends have also lately reverted to stock power cords, and experience a more natural sound.
In any case, one characteristic that I forgot to mention from my listening impressions of Terminator vs. Yggy1, but which seems a common thread through diverse kinds of music: the Terminator DAC simply sings more.
nc42acc
New member
Al that is a door you need to open. Slippery slope but you will hear differences. Start out used or lower end models. Borrow from local audiophile friends that went the other direction. My only assesment of your friends going back to generic is it revealed nasties the generic cords mask. I scratch my head every time I hear a sonic difference with a power cord.
jbtrio
Member
Al M., try a Triode Wire Labs Obsession pc or a Cerious Technologies Matrix pc these will enhance the tonal qualities and everything else.
If you don't like I think they have a good return policy. Pete and Bob are great to deal with.
Joe
If you don't like I think they have a good return policy. Pete and Bob are great to deal with.
Joe
No, it was not masking of nasties. Resolution and transparency did not decrease, it just sounded more natural. Sometimes a $ 6.43 solution can be superior to a $ 3,000 solution, no kidding.
A friend came over this afternoon and was amazed how natural the Terminator sounded; it was on generic power cord. The reviewer from Audio Bacon must have mucked up the Terminator with his fancy "audiophile" power cords: that's probably why he didn't find it that natural sounding.
nc42acc
New member
Al that is funny.....I fell down the slippery slope of power cords after switching them on my Nord 1200AS amps. Some changes are not always to the good......I am glad you are enjoying the Terminator.
Jim Smith
Member
Al,
I just ordered a couple of those cords to try in place of my 'audiophile-approved' power cables.
My thought was/is - at this price why not try it?
If it delivers more Dynamics, Presence & Tone, it'll mean greater musical engagement - at least for me.
I do plan to burn them in for three days or so on my AudioDharma cable cooker before trying them.
Did you have a preference for what they did on amps or on sources?
Yes, I am loving it! In fact, your decision to buy it and your positive feedback on the sound were the trigger to make me explore it, first through reviews, then through the actual purchase, so thanks Marty!
Hi Jim,
I look forward to your impressions. I have to admit, I didn't compare them to anything, I just knew that, after hearing comparisons in friends' systems, I did not want to have audiophile power cords
. Currently I am auditioning a preamp, and my dealer also gave me an Audioquest Dragon power cord to try. To be honest, I cannot bring myself to actually try it, I'm much more interested in more evaluation of the preamp per se.***
I just looked it up, OMG, that is one expensive PC! For that price I can almost get a substantially better preamp from the same brand (Octave), which I probably will be shooting for anyway. No way, Jose.
nc42acc
New member
Al I always worry about giving armchair keyboard reviews. Not everyone likes the same things in the way DACs sound. Give the Terminator a few more weeks and it will sound even better. I leave mine powered on 24/7.