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EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> TORII JR >> System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
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Message started by JMeader on 11/08/23 at 04:56:38

Title: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by JMeader on 11/08/23 at 04:56:38

Day 1 - Wife hears the words of the songs better, for me the base it better identified, volume needed to be increased from my previous MiniDSP SHD

Day one not sure $1,800 made a big difference but there is a difference probably in the sound stage area

Sending DSD512 to Pontus 2 will try different configurations in the next couple of weeks

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by JMeader on 11/08/23 at 16:24:14

FYI Just got this from Denafrips

Good day to you.

All Denafrips products will undergo the mandatory 100hr burn-in in the factory.
Due to the fact that DENAFRIPS components benefit from long burn-in, hence we will recommend burn-in for another 300+hrs to achieve optimum sound quality.

You'd expect the sound to open up, great details & resolution, and better flow of music.

Burn in is a big controversial topic in the audiophile community.

We believe that burn-in will be more effective with soundtrack playback. The speaker can be turned off while keeping the DAC continues to burn in with music.
There is no hard rule to follow, but it is recommended continuous burn-in if it is connected with a streamer/computer playback, whilst for CDT it is advisable to burn-in as you used it.

Do give it some time to break in to sound at its best :)

Many thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Vincent Ong

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by GroovySauce on 11/08/23 at 16:41:28

My Holo Audio May R2R DAC took over a month of solid playing to finally settle. I'm guessing it's similar for the Denafrips DACs. I made a playlist 12+ hours long and let it play on repeat when I wasn't listening.

I also suggest unplugging it overnight or for ~5 hours to let it 100% cool to room temperature once every few days for the first month or two. This is just to speed along the the burnin process.

Enjoy!

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by CAJames on 11/09/23 at 00:43:41

My experience with my Terminator 2 and Gaia is that breakin is absolutely a thing. Even after updating the firmware in my T2 it took a couple of days of continuous play to sound its best.

I agree that running music through the DAC pretty much 24/7 is the way to go, at least for the first few weeks if not longer. I'm also not sure if the options for the Pontus are the same as for my Terminator but definitely explore OS vs NOS (over sampling vs no oversampling) and the with oversampling the different filter options. For me I get the best sound with NOS and I upsample 16/44 to 176 in either Foobar2000 or my Jay's CD transport. But that is very much JMO/FWIW/YMMV. I have files up to DSD256, which sounds amazing, but to me the best part of the Denafrips experience is how good it makes humble 16/44 sound. I no longer crave hi rez like I did with my previous digital.

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by JMeader on 11/09/23 at 15:58:43

After running a signal thru the DAC all night and most of the next day, There has been a change.

That change had to do with my volume, initially I had to turn up my pre-amp volume, to get to my normal listening level. Today when I checked in on my system I had to turn the volume back down.

So changes are being made. I was not able to spend any quality listening time to notice anything else, hopefully later today. :)

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by JMeader on 11/10/23 at 15:26:39

The latest changes are in the sound stage. Currently the sound stage is much deeper than it has ever been in my system. To give an example it sounds like you are in a large hall and you are setting 1/3 to 1/2 back from the stage.

There is also a lot of variation between different recordings. In addition my La Scala's have mellowed some and it seems to be much easier to listen for periods of time.

It is surprising that a non tube component can change so much with usage, maybe the R2R design is part of the reason.

I am in the 100 hour range so probably still have more changes to come

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by CAJames on 11/10/23 at 15:46:39

Quote:

Posted by: JMeader Posted on: Today at 07:26:39

...It is surprising that a non tube component can change so much with usage, maybe the R2R design is part of the reason...

Maybe. But even after "only" updating the firmware it took days of continuous play for the sound to settle down. I can't pretend to explain it, but if you have a high resolution system you can certainly hear it. The changes you are talking about: expanding sound stage and reduced "edge" in the sound are the same that I experienced. There was always a lot of detail, but it started to sound more natural.

Quote:

...I am in the 100 hour range so probably still have more changes to come

Yeah, I feel like after a week or so you will be most of the way there. After that there will be a slow, gradual improvement in the same direction you are going now.

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by JMeader on 11/18/23 at 22:49:02

new change is that sound stage is now not as deep but stil better than before.

Also have been playing with the setting in Audirvana Studio. All of my digital file are 16/44.1, so initially I up scaled to DSD512 and it was great. Today changed that to NO Up Scaling, sound was still very good and also my speakers sounded more like La Scala's.

I then I changed the Audirvana settings to Dac maximums which is 32/1411.2. This keeps the La Scala sound, slightly deeper sound stage.

I think I will keep this for a while. I all the above the differences are not dramatic but are noticeable I think one thing that is characteristic of the Pontus is a clarity and ease of lsitening.

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by CAJames on 11/19/23 at 21:56:34

It seems like clarity and ease of listening is characteristic of Denafrips in general.

Title: Re: System Update to Pontus 2 12th -1 DAC
Post by Donnie on 11/20/23 at 02:45:39

Denafrips DAC's are Ear Honey.