Denafrips Ares 15th – Has it Improved?

Given the lack of time to write long and detailed reviews while maintaining my YouTube channel at the same time, I have fallen behind on the website schedule. So I’ve decided to make my written reviews as short as possible. No long intros, specs tables, and long talks about features. Here I’ll focus on the most important thing – pure sound talk with some comparisons. At least until it catches up with the YouTube channel.

Denafrips Ares 15th is the latest iteration of the famous Ares series. Looking from the outside, little has changed compared to the older Ares II that was my first R2R DAC. We’re still talking about a simple D/A converter without display, volume control, or other modern stuff. There are some upgrades thought. For example, among several digital inputs you can choose from, an I2S input is new. Single-ended and balanced outputs are still present, of course.

Build has improved too, with thicker aluminium plates on all sides instead of that thin, bent top that was used before. Using the unit didn’t change, so you can still use an array of buttons in front to select inputs, mute, change phase, or select between NOS or two different OS operating modes.

Sound

Denafrips surely took a turn when it comes to tuning their DACs in the last few years. I remember Ares II sounding big, lush, soft, and not very resolving when it comes to quick transients and fine details from the highest frequencies. As time passed by, many modern DACs made it sound too soft and unresolving. I never tried Ares 12th, which was introduced in between these two, but I’m happy to say that Ares 15th is a whole different beast.

For starters, we still have that big and expansive soundstage that goes wide and deep behind your speakers. But if you focus on technicalities, you’ll notice a much more precise sound. Bassline is still on a warmer and softer side, but slightly better controlled and more resolving. Midrange is more laid back this time, but cleaner and more focused. The highest frequencies offer more brilliance and sound very coherent, or continuous, as I like to put it. Sounds like bells, cymbals, etc. will have more natural flow and ringiness to them. At the same time, all of these tones will be more precise and less splashy.

I know some will miss that old, softer, midrange-centric, and more diffused presentation of the old Ares, but this one is objectively an upgrade in most regards. It’s more precise, cleaner, with a darker background, and less grain.

Comparisons

One thing is sure: there are many more great R2R DAC models on the market nowadays compared to the time when the original Ares and Ares II were a hoot. For example, Holo Audio Cyan 2 comes at the same price. It has some annoying decisions like not letting you choose your inputs manually (automatic selection doesn’t always work as it should), but it is a very strong performer. It offers harmonically richer midrange and an even bigger soundstage. Ares 15th, on the other hand, has better extended highs with more brilliance, which pure NOS Cyan 2 can’t fully match, even if external upsampling is used.

Gustard also makes some DACs worth considering, like Gustard R26, which is a bit pricier but comes with an internal audio renderer and equally impressive sonics.

Conclusion

Price increase was inevitable due to the high inflation that happened over the last few years. While I haven’t pulled out my calculator, I’m quite confident that the price increase is lower than the inflation rate we witnessed in this time period. Nevertheless, Denafrips Ares 15th is undoubtedly an upgrade over the older Ares II and one of the best R2R DACs around one thousand dollars, but the competition is fierce and equally capable this time around, so there are more flavors to shop for.