Product Overview & Specifications
The Denafrips Ares 15th Anniversary Edition is a compact, true balanced discrete R-2R digital-to-analogue converter built within an anodised aluminium chassis available in Silver or Black. Celebrating 15 years of digital design from Denafrips, the Ares 15th incorporates a 24-bit R-2R ladder network paired with a 6-bit DSD architecture, utilizing hand-matched 0.01% precision resistors to deliver clean digital conversion across both Non-Oversampling (NOS) and Oversampling (OS) modes.
Housed within its compact 2.15-litre footprint, the converter features an upgraded linear power supply built around a hand-wound, copper-shielded O-Core transformer and custom DENAFRIPS-specification capacitors. Signal timing is managed via dual low-phase-noise crystal oscillators (45.1584MHz / 49.152MHz) combined with FPGA digital signal processing and adaptive FIFO buffering to minimise jitter. Digital connectivity includes USB, Optical, Coaxial, and I²S (via HDMI LVDS) inputs, supporting high-resolution audio formats up to PCM 1536kHz and native DSD1024.
KEY FEATURES & PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGIES
- True Balanced 24-Bit R-2R & 6-Bit DSD Architecture: Hand-matched 0.01% precision thin-film resistor networks providing bit-perfect decoding with ultra-low background noise.
- Hand-Wound Copper-Shielded O-Core Transformer: In-house wound O-Core transformer incorporating multi-layer copper shielding to block electromagnetic interference (EMI) and fields (EMF).
- Upgraded Linear Power Supply: Custom DENAFRIPS-branded audio-grade capacitors paired with eight multi-stage LDO linear regulators to supply clean power to the FPGA, USB module, and R-2R ladder networks.
- Low Phase Noise Oscillators & FIFO Reclocking: Dual LPNO crystal clocks (45.1584MHz / 49.152MHz) with FIFO memory buffering effectively eliminate clock jitter from connected source components.
- Switchable NOS / OS Modes: Native Non-Oversampling (NOS) mode preserves raw sampling rates without digital filtering, alongside an optional Oversampling (OS) mode.
- Anodised Aluminium Chassis: Compact 215mm wide enclosure precision-machined in an anodised Silver or Black finish.
- Broad High-Resolution Format Support: Direct hardware decoding up to PCM 1536kHz and native DSD1024 via USB input.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product Category | Compact True Balanced Discrete R-2R / DSD Digital-to-Analogue Converter |
| Brand / Model | Denafrips — Ares 15th Anniversary Edition |
| DAC Architecture | Proprietary True Balanced 24-Bit R-2R + 6-Bit DSD (0.01% Matched Resistors) |
| Sampling Modes | Non-Oversampling (NOS) / Oversampling (OS) |
| Master Clocking System | Low Phase Noise Oscillators (45.1584 MHz / 49.152 MHz) with FPGA FIFO Reclocking |
| Supported Resolution (USB Input) | PCM: 24-bit / 44.1 kHz to 1536 kHz | DSD: Native DSD64 to DSD1024 |
| Supported Resolution (S/PDIF & I²S Inputs) | PCM: 24-bit / 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz | DSD: DSD64 (DoP) |
| Digital Audio Inputs | 1x USB 2.0 Type-B, 1x I²S (HDMI LVDS), 1x Coaxial (RCA), 1x TOSLink Optical |
| Analogue Audio Outputs | 1x Stereo Balanced XLR Pair (4.0V RMS @ 1250 Ω) | 1x Stereo Single-Ended RCA Pair (2.0V RMS @ 625 Ω) |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz – 70,000 Hz (-3 dB) |
| Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N) | 0.002% |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) | 115 dB |
| Dynamic Range / Crosstalk | > 119 dB | Stereo Crosstalk: -124 dB |
| Power Supply Architecture | Shielded In-House O-Core Transformer with 8 Multi-Stage LDO Linear Regulators |
| AC Mains Voltage & Fuse | 100V–240V AC, 50/60 Hz (Manual Selector) | Fuse: T2A/250VAC (5x20mm Slow Blow) |
| Power Consumption | 20 W |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 215 x 221 x 44 mm (Feet Add +18mm Height) |
| Net Weight | 3.5 kg |
| Available Finishes | Black / Silver |
Customer Reviews
Denafrips
Guangzhou • Est. 2012
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DENAFRIPS ARES 15TH R-2R DAC
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