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Denafrips Ares 15th R-2R DAC
ARES 15TH Anniversary Edition
- I²S Input
- True NOS R-2R DAC
- Enhanced Power Supply
- Anodised Aluminium Chassis Silver/Black
- Upgraded 12th Anniv
Technical Highlights
- Proprietary R2R + DSD Architecture
- True balanced 24BIT R2R + 6BIT DSD (32 steps FIR Filters)
- Low Thermal Effect, High Precision Hand-Matched 0.01% Resistors
- LPNO Crystal 45.1548MHz, 49.152Mhz
- Low Noise Power Supply
- FIFO Buffer
- Digital Signal Processing via FPGA
- DSD1024, PCM1536 Supports On USB Input
- Proprietary USB Audio Solution via STM32F446 Advanced AMR Based MCU
- Licensed Thesycon USB Driver For Windows Platform
- Driverless On Mac & Linux
DSD
- DSD64-DoP On All Input
- DSD1024* On USB Input Only
PCM
- 24bits / 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192KHz On All Input
- 1536kHz* On USB Input
Sampling Mode: Oversampling OS / Non-Oversampling NOS
Digital Input
- Coax x 1
- OPT x 1
- I2S x 1
- USB2.0 Type B
Analog Output
- RCA at 2.0Vrms, 625 Ω
- XLR at 4.0Vrms, 1250 Ω
Frequency Response: 20-70KHz -3dB
THD+N: 0.002%
S/N Ratio: 115dB
Dynamic Range: >119dB
Stereo Crosstalk: -124dB
AC Power Requirement: 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz (Worldwide Voltage, Manual Selector)
Fuse: T2A/250VAC. 5x20mm 2A Slow Blow
Power Consumption: ≤20W
Dimension: 215W x 221D x 44H mm (Feet +18mm)
Package Dim: 375 x 330 x 115 mm
Package Content: DAC & Power Cord. If you need to add a remote control, please contact our staff.
Weight: 3.5 Kg
Color: Black / Silver
Warranty: 12 Months
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Connectivity
89/100
Value for Money
96/100
The Ares 15th R-2R DAC leans into natural flow, a quiet background, and a spacious, layered presentation that keeps digital sounding relaxed rather than clinical. Mark Phillips, Geoffrey, and Sandu Vitalie all highlight its musical ease, depth, and value, even if it trades some speed and top-end air for that easygoing charm.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Produces a natural, fluid, and consistently enjoyable sound that feels more analog than clinical.
Creates a wide, deep, well-layered soundstage with strong pinpoint imaging.
Offers a quiet, black background with good detail retrieval for the price.
Delivers strong build quality and unusually rich connectivity, including balanced outputs and multiple digital inputs.
&
Cons
Can sound a little dark in NOS mode, with some high-frequency roll-off on brighter systems or recordings.
Is not the fastest or punchiest DAC, and does not match the very best rivals for raw detail or transient bite.
Lacks remote control and preamp functionality, so it stays firmly in pure DAC territory.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers consistently describe the Ares as natural, fluid, and easy to live with, with a presentation that sounds relaxed rather than forced. It is repeatedly praised for sounding life-like and engaging, while still avoiding obvious warmth or blur; one reviewer also notes that it can tame brightness without adding mush.
Tonal Balance and Musicality
94/100
The Ares is described as natural, effortless, and consistently enjoyable, with music coming through in a relaxed and invariably pleasant way. Reviewers also say it sounds right and life-like, and can soften harshness without smearing the recording.
Resolution and Detail
91/100
The DAC is credited with very good detail retrieval for the price, along with texture and plenty of musical information. One reviewer says it does not quite match a rival for raw detail, and another notes it is not the most detailed sound, so the praise is strong but not absolute.
Digital Performance
92/100
Reviewers like the quiet background, clean presentation, and the way NOS and OS options let the DAC avoid obvious digital hardness. There is some mention of old-fashioned converter character on older CDs and a touch less honesty in NOS on certain material, but overall the conversion is described as smooth, quiet, and free of obvious glare.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
91/100
The chassis and casework draw very strong praise: it is described as heavy, tank-like, and extremely well put together, with a thick front panel and sturdy feel. One review also highlights solid packing and a robust balanced output stage, though there is little detailed discussion of long-term serviceability or internal parts beyond that.
Features Connectivity
89/100
Connectivity is generous for a standalone DAC, with USB, two coaxial inputs, two optical inputs, and both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs. Reviewers also highlight selectable filters, NOS/OS modes, reclocking of S/PDIF and USB, and very high-rate PCM/DSD support, though it stays fixed-output and omits preamp functionality and remote control.
Value for Money
96/100
The reviews are strongly enthusiastic about value, calling it a steal, a bargain, and something that punches well above its price. It is explicitly compared favorably with much pricier DACs, with one reviewer saying it can embarrass units around the $2000 mark, which is exactly the kind of language that signals standout value.
Reviews
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Authorized dealers for Denafrips Ares 15th R-2R DAC
- Audeos — online and in-store — Żywiec, Województwo śląskie (website)
- Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
- Audio Extreme — in-store — Kowloon, China (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- AUDIOPHONICS — in-store — Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (website)
- Headphone Zone — online and in-store — Laxmi Industrial Estate, Maharashtra, India (website)
- Lyric Audio — online and in-store — Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain (website)
- Magic Sound — online and in-store — Italy (website)
- Mister Hifi — online and in-store — Raamsdonksveer, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (website)
- Musicraft — in-store — Derby, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 4 more verified dealers