I don’t know what other equipment you have, kerosene, but I have an Iris, an Ares II and a Pontus II. By cleaning up the USB grunge, the Iris is the secret ingredient that makes either the Ares II or Pontus II the most authoritative combo I’ve heard, surpassing in my space and with my hearing my DSD DAC in every aspect.
I have a PC feeding the Iris and a Willsenton R8 getting the DAC signal from either the Ares II or the Pontus II. My speakers are Klipsch Forte IVs. Cabling is all excellent grade without breaking the bank Audioquest.
The most notable change in my listening experience is that what I put together for my office, which is now occupying my main listening room, no longer needs equalization to make my music collection play to my taste. It is the most authoritative musical reproduction I’ve heard in my 40 years as an audiophile.
The Pontus II has more of what I call “Thereness” than the Ares II, but either surpasses my DSD DAC, at a fraction of the cost. I don’t regret any of my PSA purchases. I love PSA voicing and it all starts with a P15 regenerator. I just had to look for more affordable alternates that met or exceeded what my PSA gear provided.
The one thing to keep in mind is that the Iris is what makes the magic happen. Failure to clean up the USB feed does not bring out the full potential of the Denafrips gear. At a little over $500, the Iris is the bargain of the century.
I can’t wait to take delivery of my Decware Super Zen Triode amp, and compare it to both the Willsenton R8 and the BHK250. If it comes anywhere close to Andrew Robinson’s gushing review, I’ll call my gear acquisition a job well done.
If the Iris gave me digital processing magic, my born-again second system was made possible by the acquisition of the Klipsch Forte IVs and their 99db sensitivity rating. Paul is absolutely right that the speakers come first. If I had the space I’d have the top of the line Klipsch.
As it is, in this lifetime, I have to settle for sensitive speakers that fit my space. With the sound quality I’m getting, it’s not much of a sacrifice. Whatever criticism you’ve heard of previous Klipsch models does not apply to the new models complimented by synergistic gear.
It’s not as if I have musicians playing in my living room. That seems more and more like a worn-out cliché. It’s more as if Sean Connery stepped in and said: “My name is Bond, James Bond.” Authoritative, believable, sensual and as Andrew likes saying, magical. For me, it really is all there.