ЦАПы — Denafrips Pontus 15TH

Denafrips built the Pontus 15TH converter around a discrete resistor ladder rather than a chip DAC. It sits in the 15TH generation of the brand's converter range, alongside models such as the Enyo 15TH, Ares 15TH, Venus 15TH and the Terminator 15TH pair. Black and silver versions exist, and the enclosure uses unusually thick 1.5 mm panels.

Key specs that matter

Denafrips describes the conversion as true balanced 24-bit R-2R plus 6-bit DSD, using four sets of R-2R networks built from 0.005% precision resistors. USB and I2S over HDMI accept PCM up to 24-bit 1536 kHz and DSD up to DSD1024, while the optical, coaxial and AES inputs handle PCM to 24-bit 192 kHz and DSD64 over DoP. The analogue side delivers 2 Vrms from RCA at 625 ohm and 4 Vrms from XLR at 1250 ohm. Denafrips quotes THD+N of 0.0025%, a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB, dynamic range above 121 dB, crosstalk of -110 dB and a bandwidth of 20 Hz to 70 kHz at -3 dB. The case measures 320 x 330 x 80 mm, or 11 cm tall on its pyramid feet, and weighs 12.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

A dedicated high-speed CPLD per channel decodes the incoming stream and drives the ladder networks, so the left and right paths stay separate. All digital inputs are buffered in FIFO memory and reclocked by femtosecond oscillators at 45.1548 MHz and 49.152 MHz, covering the 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz rate families. The listener can switch between non-oversampling mode, which keeps the native rate, and an oversampling mode. The power supply is encapsulated and linear, with two O-Core transformers rated at 80 VA each that feed the digital and analogue sections separately. The metal alloy case also acts as electrical shielding, consumption stays at or below 20 W, and the mains input accepts 100 to 240 V at 50 or 60 Hz.

Pairing

The rear panel carries one USB-B port, one I2S socket on HDMI, one Toslink, two AES/EBU sockets plus coaxial inputs on BNC and on RCA, so a computer, a streamer with I2S output and a CD transport can all remain wired in. With no volume control on board, the Pontus 15TH has to feed a preamp or an amplifier that adjusts gain itself. The high output impedance favours an amplifier input of several kilohm or more, a condition met by most transistor and tube amplifiers.

Alternatives

The Denafrips Venus 15TH is a higher model in the same 15TH converter generation.