Denafrips Terminator dac ...

nc42acc said:
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.
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Thanks, Marty. Yes, I leave it powered on, and currently play for break-in, 24/7. This week I will evaluate it some more against the Yggy2 before I have to make a decision to keep it or not, but so far I have heard no reason not to.
 
One reason for varying reviews of the Termi may be break-in time. I aquiered one with supposedly around 250 hours +/- on it. It was good. But midrange texture and detail, and high-end extension, among other fine nuances, came out more after another couple hundred hours. The difference could be taken as warmish to then more neutral (cooler to some?) after more time.
 
jriggy said:
One reason for varying reviews of the Termi may be break-in time. I aquiered one with supposedly around 250 hours +/- on it. It was good. But midrange texture and detail, and high-end extension, among other fine nuances, came out more after another couple hundred hours. The difference could be taken as warmish to then more neutral (cooler to some?) after more time.
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I heard tons of midrange texture and detail right away, from the cold unit shipped directly from Hong Kong, burned in at factory for 100 hrs. In the evening that day I heard already richness and nuance greater than with Yggy1.
 
Al M. said:
I heard tons of midrange texture and detail right away, from the cold unit shipped directly from Hong Kong, burned in at factory for 100 hrs. In the evening that day I heard already richness and nuance greater than with Yggy1.
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Nice!

It was comparing it to a Lampi Atlantic. the Termi got closer and closer to the inner detail and texture of those mids after some more time.
 
jriggy said:
Nice!

It was comparing it to a Lampi Atlantic. the Termi got closer and closer to the inner detail and texture of those mids after some more time.
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Great, I look forward to what further break in may bring.
 
nc42acc said:
That speaks highly of the Terminator in that comparison.
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The Audiostream review of the Lampi Atlantic (which I haven't heard) compares it with the Terminator DAC, and claims the latter has a cooler yet more detailed and textured, while equally organic sound, with better soundstage and dynamics.
 
Thanks Al......Soundstage, dynamics and bass are the many things I like about the Terminator.

Al M. said:
The Audiostream review of the Lampi Atlantic (which I haven't heard) compares it with the Terminator DAC, and claims the latter has a cooler yet more detailed and textured, while equally organic sound, with better soundstage and dynamics.
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O.k., here is my comparison Terminator DAC vs. Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC (Yggy2).

Conclusions from yesterday are the same as from two nights earlier. I just wanted to nail this down without any doubt. Source driving the DACs is a Simaudio Moon 260 DT transport (Redbook CD) through an MIT SL-Matrix Plus AES/EBU cable (that expensive cable contributes quite a bit to signal quality). Both DACs are continuously on 24/7, the Terminator is also played 24/7 as it is still considered to be in break-in phase.

John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, live at Ronnie Scott's: The electric piano opening track 2 (Myles Beyond) is considerably more detailed, richer and open sounding on the Terminator. The electric guitar opening track 5 (New Blues Old Bruise) is more gravelly sounding, and there is a designed electric "post-echo" on each note that is only faintly audible on the Yggy, while being very clear on the Terminator. This impression has not changed from day 1 (really, the Terminator was just a few hours warm). I knew back then right away that there was more richness and nuance compared to the Yggy (Yggy1 back then), even though I hadn't heard those tracks in a while. The current comparison with the Yggy2 directly confirms that.

The drum solo in track 9 (Echoes From Then) sounds more lively and dynamic on the Terminator. I don't think that the dynamics are actually different per se, but the Terminator is just more "outspoken" and thus the impact of the dynamics seems greater. The strong rhythmic drive on both DACs is comparable.

The mid-bass of the Yggy2 may be just a tad more pronounced than on the Terminator, but the latter may not yet be sufficiently broken in (?). Bass control is comparable between the two DACs; here the Yggy2 also has made good progress compared to the Yggy1.

Interesting that on this John McLaughlin record the difference in detail between Terminator and Yggy is actually stronger than on some string quartet recordings, where the Yggy on some passages shines just as brightly as the Terminator when it comes to micro detail, whereas the latter trounces it on other passages.

Schubert, Winterreise (Winter Journey), with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) and Joerg Demus (piano). The voice on this famous recording sounds more open and harmonically richer, more expanded, on the Terminator DAC. In comparison the Yggy2 sounds muffled and smaller on the voice, even though the tone has comparably strong body. The transparency and feeling of the performer being "there" is just so much stronger on the Terminator. The piano also sounds more convincing on that DAC.

Stockhausen, In the Sky I am Walking (1977 recording, Stockhausen Verlag). Here the two voices (mezzo soprano, tenor) sound comparably transparent on both DACs, with a really strong feeling of presence -- when you listen in the dark at realistic level, it can actually be frightening, how real it is. Yet even here, the Terminator is more precise and clean in timbre and thus even more convincing in its presentation.

On other recordings the Terminator also consistently paints a richer harmonic palette, and is more open sounding than the Yggy. Is it cooler sounding than the Yggy2? I don't think so at all. The Yggy does not sound warmer, it sounds darker. The richer, harmonically more expansive tone of the Terminator DAC effectively counters an impression of less warmth that might arise from its more pronounced treble (which is extremely clean and pure) and greater openness of sound. As I said before when comparing with the Yggy1, the Terminator does not sound less warm, it sounds more luminous.

There is no doubt in my mind that the DENAFRIPS Terminator DAC is superior. It remains in my system, no return!

A round of applause for the Terminator DAC, please.
 
Al M. said:
O.k., here is my comparison Terminator DAC vs. Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC (Yggy2).

Conclusions from yesterday are the same as from two nights earlier. I just wanted to nail this down without any doubt. Source driving the DACs is a Simaudio Moon 260 DT transport (Redbook CD) through an MIT SL-Matrix Plus AES/EBU cable (that expensive cable contributes quite a bit to signal quality). Both DACs are continuously on 24/7, the Terminator is also played 24/7 as it is still considered to be in break-in phase.

John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, live at Ronnie Scott's: The electric piano opening track 2 (Myles Beyond) is considerably more detailed, richer and open sounding on the Terminator. The electric guitar opening track 5 (New Blues Old Bruise) is more gravelly sounding, and there is a designed electric "post-echo" on each note that is only faintly audible on the Yggy, while being very clear on the Terminator. This impression has not changed from day 1 (really, the Terminator was just a few hours warm). I knew back then right away that there was more richness and nuance compared to the Yggy (Yggy1 back then), even though I hadn't heard those tracks in a while. The current comparison with the Yggy2 directly confirms that.

The drum solo in track 9 (Echoes From Then) sounds more lively and dynamic on the Terminator. I don't think that the dynamics are actually different per se, but the Terminator is just more "outspoken" and thus the impact of the dynamics seems greater. The strong rhythmic drive on both DACs is comparable.

The mid-bass of the Yggy2 may be just a tad more pronounced than on the Terminator, but the latter may not yet be sufficiently broken in (?). Bass control is comparable between the two DACs; here the Yggy2 also has made good progress compared to the Yggy1.

Interesting that on this John McLaughlin record the difference in detail between Terminator and Yggy is actually stronger than on some string quartet recordings, where the Yggy on some passages shines just as brightly as the Terminator when it comes to micro detail, whereas the latter trounces it on other passages.

Schubert, Winterreise (Winter Journey), with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) and Joerg Demus (piano). The voice on this famous recording sounds more open and harmonically richer, more expanded, on the Terminator DAC. In comparison the Yggy2 sounds muffled and smaller on the voice, even though the tone has comparably strong body. The transparency and feeling of the performer being "there" is just so much stronger on the Terminator. The piano also sounds more convincing on that DAC.

Stockhausen, In the Sky I am Walking (1977 recording, Stockhausen Verlag). Here the two voices (mezzo soprano, tenor) sound comparably transparent on both DACs, with a really strong feeling of presence -- when you listen in the dark at realistic level, it can actually be frightening, how real it is. Yet even here, the Terminator is more precise and clean in timbre and thus even more convincing in its presentation.

On other recordings the Terminator also consistently paints a richer harmonic palette, and is more open sounding than the Yggy. Is it cooler sounding than the Yggy2? I don't think so at all. The Yggy does not sound warmer, it sounds darker. The richer, harmonically more expansive tone of the Terminator DAC effectively counters an impression of less warmth that might arise from its more pronounced treble (which is extremely clean and pure) and greater openness of sound. As I said before when comparing with the Yggy1, the Terminator does not sound less warm, it sounds more luminous.

There is no doubt in my mind that the DENAFRIPS Terminator DAC is superior. It remains in my system, no return!

A round of applause for the Terminator DAC, please.
Click to expand...

Great review, thanks for posting 🔥👍🏻🔥
 
Al M. said:
O.k., here is my comparison Terminator DAC vs. Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC (Yggy2).

Conclusions from yesterday are the same as from two nights earlier. I just wanted to nail this down without any doubt. Source driving the DACs is a Simaudio Moon 260 DT transport (Redbook CD) through an MIT SL-Matrix Plus AES/EBU cable (that expensive cable contributes quite a bit to signal quality). Both DACs are continuously on 24/7, the Terminator is also played 24/7 as it is still considered to be in break-in phase.

John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, live at Ronnie Scott's: The electric piano opening track 2 (Myles Beyond) is considerably more detailed, richer and open sounding on the Terminator. The electric guitar opening track 5 (New Blues Old Bruise) is more gravelly sounding, and there is a designed electric "post-echo" on each note that is only faintly audible on the Yggy, while being very clear on the Terminator. This impression has not changed from day 1 (really, the Terminator was just a few hours warm). I knew back then right away that there was more richness and nuance compared to the Yggy (Yggy1 back then), even though I hadn't heard those tracks in a while. The current comparison with the Yggy2 directly confirms that.

The drum solo in track 9 (Echoes From Then) sounds more lively and dynamic on the Terminator. I don't think that the dynamics are actually different per se, but the Terminator is just more "outspoken" and thus the impact of the dynamics seems greater. The strong rhythmic drive on both DACs is comparable.

The mid-bass of the Yggy2 may be just a tad more pronounced than on the Terminator, but the latter may not yet be sufficiently broken in (?). Bass control is comparable between the two DACs; here the Yggy2 also has made good progress compared to the Yggy1.

Interesting that on this John McLaughlin record the difference in detail between Terminator and Yggy is actually stronger than on some string quartet recordings, where the Yggy on some passages shines just as brightly as the Terminator when it comes to micro detail, whereas the latter trounces it on other passages.

Schubert, Winterreise (Winter Journey), with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) and Joerg Demus (piano). The voice on this famous recording sounds more open and harmonically richer, more expanded, on the Terminator DAC. In comparison the Yggy2 sounds muffled and smaller on the voice, even though the tone has comparably strong body. The transparency and feeling of the performer being "there" is just so much stronger on the Terminator. The piano also sounds more convincing on that DAC.

Stockhausen, In the Sky I am Walking (1977 recording, Stockhausen Verlag). Here the two voices (mezzo soprano, tenor) sound comparably transparent on both DACs, with a really strong feeling of presence -- when you listen in the dark at realistic level, it can actually be frightening, how real it is. Yet even here, the Terminator is more precise and clean in timbre and thus even more convincing in its presentation.

On other recordings the Terminator also consistently paints a richer harmonic palette, and is more open sounding than the Yggy. Is it cooler sounding than the Yggy2? I don't think so at all. The Yggy does not sound warmer, it sounds darker. The richer, harmonically more expansive tone of the Terminator DAC effectively counters an impression of less warmth that might arise from its more pronounced treble (which is extremely clean and pure) and greater openness of sound. As I said before when comparing with the Yggy1, the Terminator does not sound less warm, it sounds more luminous.

There is no doubt in my mind that the DENAFRIPS Terminator DAC is superior. It remains in my system, no return!

A round of applause for the Terminator DAC, please.
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Can I ask what your definition of 'sounds darker". I've seen;

Dark refers to a prominent bass with recessed treble

Dark: "A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency."

Dark; a blendy sound, skewed to emphasize bass rather than treble.

Thanks , nice review
 
CPP said:
Can I ask what your definition of 'sounds darker". I've seen;

Dark refers to a prominent bass with recessed treble

Dark: "A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency."

Dark; a blendy sound, skewed to emphasize bass rather than treble.

Thanks , nice review
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Thanks.

I wouldn't say the Yggy is dark, it is *darker* than the Terminator.

Darker = less treble
 
CPP said:
Dark refers to a prominent bass with recessed treble

Dark: "A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency."
Click to expand...

I think there might be more definitions for the term, especially if you read reviewer comments.

Typically it means a fuller sound, w/o being bloated in difference to a “warm” sound. It is also used as an opposite to a “lean” or “thin” sound.

But of course, YMMV.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Kuoppis said:
I think there might be more definitions for the term, especially if you read reviewer comments.

Typically it means a fuller sound, w/o being bloated in difference to a “warm” sound. It is also used as an opposite to a “lean” or “thin” sound.

But of course, YMMV.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Yep "it sounds like" , so many definitions by so many people. I liked Gordon Holts https://www.stereophile.com/content/sounds-audio-glossary-glossary
 
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