GROUP TEST - £1,000 DACS | Topping D90 III, SMSL VMV D2R, Denafrips Ares 12th-1

Three reviews for the price of one! Thanks Tarun!

A while ago, I upgraded my Audiolab M-DAC to the Denafrips Venus 12th edition. Initially, the difference was subtle. With time and many attentive listening hours, I’ve learned to appreciate the virtues of the Venus. Alvin at Vinshine who knows my system well, he did sell all of it to me barring the speakers and CD transport, did recommend the Terminator, but I wasn’t ready to invest £6000 in a DAC. I think it’s important to take on board that an upgraded DAC will not make the significant difference that maybe a speaker upgrade can make.

Great review, Tarun. I know they are a pain to organise but comparative reviews are really worthwhile. It’s the closest we get to a good old fashioned demo at a bricks and mortar specialist dealer.😊

The more dacs you review the more i cant wait for you to discover something you like more than the Ares 12th at under 1000 or the gustard r26 under 2000. You have set the bar high for these two levels and it will be significant for your listeners when they are both bested in their price categories. Keep it up!

Glad to a see great revealing review between the 2 genres of tech put to the test.

Appreciate your efforts here. Really good dac’s here. For most of us. Unique sound signatures for each.

Great comparative review indeed. I can recall the first time I heard the original Ares II in my system with older Magnepan MG12's. Tears literally came to my eyes listening to acoustic and instrumental music. A year and a half later I upgraded to the Pontus II. Just fabulous without question. So many DACs out there now since my original purchase. I am standing pat for sure.

Thank you for a very good review. Each is certainly impressive

Thank you, Tarun for another great review. I so appreciate that your reviews always include comparison of similarly priced products. And a three-way comparison? All I can say is "Bob's your uncle" or maybe "stone the crows".

Hello Tarun Just a swift update. I have had the SMSL VMV D2R in my system for around 4 months now . I have to say its a really good chip based Dac. Much better than anything I've had in my headphone system to date. The sound is open,detailed and clean,without much digital glare you get with most Chip based Dacs. The details portrayed seem slightly more focused than the Gustard R26 which is however more spacious in the soundstage image portrayed. The R26 has more depth but doesn't sound as focused. I must say I like both for the slightly different presentations . I use Both Dacs via an Ifi Neo streamer. The SMSL VMV via a I2S connection ( Pin configurations match) The Gustard is connected also via I2S but USB out from the IFI steamer into a Singxer SU6 DDU which provides the I2S signal. I have found the Gustard a bit bright via direct USB connection. To be frank both Dacs sound really good connected via I2S and using a streamed signal so it really depends on personal taste.

This content is perfectly timed for me, the only other one I’m keen on is the Schiit Bifrost 2/64. Thanks Tarun.

GREAT video Tarun! I have a Topping D90 between my Exposure XI/XII/VIII and Primare CD32 and revel in the detail. You're right about the soundstage - from the CD32 outputs it is naturally superior and I'm only occasionally frustrated by the lighter bass of the D90. Since getting my speaker cables off the floor, I have been super impressed with microdetails and transient speed. I was on filter Mode 2 but after your review am now trying Mode 4. All the best, Rob in Switzerland

Thank you ever so much Tarun,, 👍😎‍‍👍‍‍

Great review, Tarun! All three dacs are out of my price range at the moment but fascinating to watch nonetheless.

Very thorough and detailed review!

I once owned SMSL D300 with same Rohm chip…it also had a very relaxed top end and energetic songs fell flat…it was a great jazz DAC as it did the other things you mentioned.

Wonderful review, as always! Thoroughly enjoyed it this Saturday morning. I honestly don’t know anyone that considers so many important factors as succinctly. I remember once thinking that a Sabre based d/s dac would be harsh, 2d and lacking in body. But now no way…programming and output stages are so good on so many dacs lately! I’m currently in love with the very special octo research dac8 stereo. Hits many of the marks you’d indicated here (albeit probably not as deep as a ladder dac) 🙏🏼

Hi Tarun, great review and comparison. I had been using my Eversolo DMP-A6 as a streamer/DAC since I bouth it near a year ago, and it's performance was really nice to me. Last week I received my new Denafrips Ares 12th-1 and start to using the DMP-A6 only as a streamer transport and SSD player, connected by USB to the Ares 12th-1. I couldn't be happier with this addition to my system. I found that is a step forward in the sound quality with the Ares 12th-1 as the main DAC and I'm enjoying so much my music with this new sound signature :). Cheers!

Nice job, Tarun 🎧👍🙂

Excellent review, as always, Tarun. Cheers! (P. in Jpn.)