[jclyle]

When hooking Iris up to a Bluesound Node using USB, is volume control enabled on the Node, or is it fixed?

I have a Node X. When connected to my Ares using USB, I lose the volume control feature. My workaround is to use coax so I can adjust volume using a remote.

 

[Haidar]

12th Anniversary editions were announced:

 

[Funnychap]

12th Anniversary editions were announced:

Yep, I received my Denafrips Iris 12th (newer model designated by 12th) last week which has a bigger power supply and some new secret sauce.
- I added a DDC from Denafrips Iris 12th which improved the sound (due to a better thermal clock TCXO) for my already great Denafrips Ares II 12th (a DAC with R2R technology for 3D live/realism)
1. Significant sound quality improvement (bigger stage, vocals).
2. Streaming from my iPhone 12 Pro max, even with the songs downloaded to my iphone, is more stable (no more hiccuping or skipping to the next song before finishing the current song).
3. Songs start and fast forward quicker.

- Yesterday I replaced my streamer using an iPhone 12 Pro Max with the Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer with native Apple Music for hi-res lossless and ripping my CDs to it.

source=Apple Music (hires lossless, and spatial audio surround music)

 

[Funnychap]

12th Anniversary editions were announced:

Here's my mixed use Music/Home Theater:

 

[rreynolds]

12th Anniversary editions were announced:

I originally placed an order for the Arce Streamer & was waiting for that to ship until this video dropped. Considering I already own a Gaia and reading the spec sheet for the Arce, it wasn't going to provide significant sonic benefit. The improved internals and power supply of the Gaia 12th seemed more enticing. Luckily Alvin is super easy to work with and set up my order promptly.

Hoping to compare the OG Gaia w/ the Gaia 12th and post differences when it arrives.

 

[David A Silva]

… Hoping to compare the OG Gaia w/ the Gaia 12th and post differences when it arrives.

Would love. to hear your impressions!

 

[Funnychap]

Hello,

anyone here use Iris DDC with Ares II?

regards,
Simon

Yes, the newer Denafrips Iris 12th significantly improved my Denafrips Ares II 12th (which was already great).

Denafrips Ares II 12th (comes with the 2nd firmware) now has 3 firmwares (the latest is July 2023 v1.8 and customers say it sounds the best). Today I've just requested my v1.8 firmware.

My setup:
After I upgraded my mixed use theater/music room's 2 front L/R speakers to GoldenEar BRX with the awesome AMT ribbon tweeter, these tweeters are soo revealing and realistic (gave me goosebumps) that it got me to upgrade the weaker links in my chain:
- Added a 3rd GoldenEar BRX as my center channel speaker.
- Added a DDC from Denafrips Iris 12th which improved the sound for my already great Denafrips Ares II 12th (a DAC with R2R technology for 3D live/realism)
- Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer with native Apple Music for hi-res lossless and ripping my CDs to it.

source=Apple Music (hires lossless, and spatial audio surround music) and Denafrips Ares II 12th dac (R2R technology for 3D live/realistic sound).

 

[Funnychap]

Hi
I am interested to purchase an IRIS to improve the signal into my Ares. However. IRIS has only a USB input which is a problem because I am using Bluesound node 2i as a streamer. Is there any solution?
Thanks

I had the Bluesound Node and it sounded ok.

Better to replace the Bluesound with the newer Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer with native Apple Music for hi-res lossless and ripping my CDs to it.
-----
Denafrips Ares II 12th (comes with the 2nd firmware) now has 3 firmwares (the latest is July 2023 v1.8 and customers say it sounds the best). Today I've just requested my v1.8 firmware.

My setup:
After I upgraded my mixed use theater/music room's 2 front L/R speakers to GoldenEar BRX with the awesome AMT ribbon tweeter, these tweeters are soo revealing and realistic (gave me goosebumps) that it got me to upgrade the weaker links in my chain:
- Added a 3rd GoldenEar BRX as my center channel speaker.
- Added a DDC from Denafrips Iris 12th which improved the sound for my already great Denafrips Ares II 12th (a DAC with R2R technology for 3D live/realism)
- Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer with native Apple Music for hi-res lossless and ripping my CDs to it.

source=Apple Music (hires lossless, and spatial audio surround music) and Denafrips Ares II 12th dac (R2R technology for 3D live/realistic sound).

 

[Funnychap]

This makes the most sense to me. However, over the years it's been listed everywhere that digital cables need to be 1.5 m in length. I always thought this was nonsense and the person giving their reasons would give this convoluted, stretched out, word salad of reasons that it needs to be that length. However, the common consensus for i2s is that it needs to be as short as possible. Regarding other digital cable types, I've read for years that it needs to be 1.5 m because of certain physics that are happening inside the cable at shorter length. Somebody please try to defend that argument because it seems so ridiculous to me.

I've tried an HDMI 1.5 foot versus 6 ft. The shorter 1.5 foot sounds way better when I used it to connect via i2S port from my Denafrips Iris 12th (a DDC) to my Denafrips Ares II 12th (a DAC).
---
Denafrips Ares II 12th (comes with the 2nd firmware) now has 3 firmwares (the latest is July 2023 v1.8 and customers say it sounds the best). Today I've just requested my v1.8 firmware.

My setup:
After I upgraded my mixed use theater/music room's 2 front L/R speakers to GoldenEar BRX with the awesome AMT ribbon tweeter, these tweeters are soo revealing and realistic (gave me goosebumps) that it got me to upgrade the weaker links in my chain:
- Added a 3rd GoldenEar BRX as my center channel speaker.
- Added a DDC from Denafrips Iris 12th which improved the sound for my already great Denafrips Ares II 12th (a DAC with R2R technology for 3D live/realism)
- Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer with native Apple Music for hi-res lossless and ripping my CDs to it.

source=Apple Music (hires lossless, and spatial audio surround music) and Denafrips Ares II 12th dac (R2R technology for 3D live/realistic sound).

 

[rreynolds]

Gaia 12th has landed. Not sure if it's just my fleeting memory, but this unit feels heavier than the original. Possibly the revised PSU. Going to warm her up for the night and post impressions in the next couple days.

 

[gotitforcheap]

weird question but I've been thinking of adding a hermes or gaia to my chain, which is currently just a gaming pc > usb > schiit yggdrassil
was wondering if adding a gaia or hermes to it, going AES/EBU out to the yggy, will there be any delay in the audio? as in, will I have to swap back to usb into the yggy to watch movies or play games?

 

[medon]

weird question but I've been thinking of adding a hermes or gaia to my chain, which is currently just a gaming pc > usb > schiit yggdrassil
was wondering if adding a gaia or hermes to it, going AES/EBU out to the yggy, will there be any delay in the audio? as in, will I have to swap back to usb into the yggy to watch movies or play games?

My guess is that there would be a slightly increased delay.
That aside... do you want to add a DDC as input switcher, or for better sound quality?

 

[gotitforcheap]

DDC for better sound quality, I ended up impulse purchasing a holo audio RED last night so we'll see how that goes

 

[medon]

By accident I learned today that the Gaia DDC is not "bullet proof" regarding USB filtering.
I feed it with an original Auralic Aries (femto), 2015 device, via USB. That streamer has been running in WiFi mode since I got it last year, b/c first quick comparisons showed no audible difference at that time.
In the meantime, the chain got a little better, my local dealer and also Vinshine got happier, thanks to my orders.

The streamer stayed, and it stayed in WiFi mode.

Yesterday I connected it - just for fun - again with a long&cheap cable run directly into my internet router, and switched off WiFi.
To my surprise, the difference in SQ was immediately there - less congested, more punch. More attack. Unbelievable!

... and this, although the DAC (Venus II) gets its input from the Gaia.

Only conclusion so far: When switching on the WiFi on my Auralic streamer, its USB output gets worse - jitter, noise, probably a little of both.
Even the Gaia can not completely mitigate this effect.

Fun fact: Today I borrowed an Audioquest JitterBug FMJ from my local dealer - guess what: it still improves SQ a little (Auralic->Jitterbug->USB->Gaia->i2s->Venus.

Luckily, cost is reasonable.

YMMV

 

[CAJames]

...Only conclusion so far: When switching on the WiFi on my Auralic streamer, its USB output gets worse - jitter, noise, probably a little of both.
Even the Gaia can not completely mitigate this effect...

A lot of people find streaming over a wired connection is superior to wireless. In fact many of my online friends now use a fiber connection for their streamers vs. copper ethernet. This happens even with streamer and DAC in the same box. I don't think it is the USB output per se, it is the quality of the input bitstream that changes with different network connections.

Full disclosure, my day job for many years was managing the network at a mid-major research university and either because of, or in spite of that I don't want networking anywhere near my music. I download and/or rip files and play physical media.