Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Top-notch build quality and impressive part selection.
- Noise and distortion-free performance with a black background.
- Holographic, open, and wide soundstage with impressive depth, layering, and imaging.
- Full-bodied, organic, and natural sound with a warmer tonality.
- Covers the frequency response in full, without roll-offs.
Product Considerations
- Only a DAC—lacking preamp functionalities or a remote control.
- Not the most detailed sounding unit in its stock form.
- Not the fastest sounding unit in its stock form.
- Denafrips GAIA is a must-have upgrade to squeeze the absolute best out of it.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Terminator Plus terminates other R-2R dacs like Denafrips Venus, Audio-gd R7 and Musician Aquarius.
- Terminator Plus delivers a clearer, punchier, and faster overall performance than Matrix Audio Element X and Gustard X26 PRO.
- Terminator Plus was just by a hair smoother and considerably more impactful than Gold Note DS-10 Plus.
- Terminator Plus added a much-needed weight and punch in the lowest octaves compared to Denafrips Venus or Ares.
- Terminator Plus was adding a lot more meat on their bones than SMSL DO200 and Gustard X18.
Takeaway: The Denafrips Terminator Plus is an impressively built DAC that offers an emotional and engaging listening experience with its open soundstage and natural sound, making it easy to enjoy your music. It brings a level of realism and impact that can make your system sound its best.
All
Terminator Plus 15th
reviews
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
Select products
Enyo
- Positioning: The entry-level R-2R DAC in the Denafrips lineup.
- Description: Offers a high-quality, expressive sound with its true balance R-2R DAC design, making it ideal for small rooms or budget-conscious audiophiles.
Ares 15th
- Positioning: A step above the Enyo, providing a mid-range option in the Denafrips lineup.
- Description: Features a low-phase-noise oscillator for exceptional signal stability. Compared to the Enyo, it offers improved build quality and connectivity options, but lacks the advanced power isolation found in the Pontus.
Pontus
- Positioning: A mid-tier DAC, offering a balance between performance and price.
- Description: Excels with its balanced R-2R ladder network and advanced jitter suppression. It surpasses the Ares with its box-in-box power design, but doesn't reach the flagship-level technology of the Venus or Terminator models.
Venus
- Positioning: A high-end DAC, just below the flagship models.
- Description: Features a new-generation circuit architecture and OCXO FIFO buffering, providing deep and accurate sound reproduction. It offers superior performance over the Pontus with its enhanced power supply and clock system, but is outclassed by the Terminator series.
Terminator
- Positioning: A flagship model, representing the pinnacle of Denafrips' DAC offerings.
- Description: Features dual OCXO clocks and adaptive FIFO buffer, providing exceptional accuracy and synchronization. It offers more advanced features than the Venus but slightly less than the Terminator Plus.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
Our DACs feature a true balanced R-2R ladder network array design, with each channel equipped with an independent high-speed CPLD. Multiple sets of precision R-2R resistor networks decode digital signals, ensuring exceptionally low distortion and noise. Additionally, our FIFO buffer and reclocking technology delivers outstanding jitter suppression, significantly reducing reliance on the source device’s clock quality and further enhancing overall sound performance.
What's your approach to customer support?
As both our official channels and distributor network sell directly to end users, we encourage customers to first contact the dealer or seller from whom they purchased the product should any issues arise. This ensures the quickest frontline support. Of course, our official customer service team is also readily available via email and official platforms, typically responding within 24-48 hours. We strive to provide lifetime after-sales support wherever possible, even beyond the warranty period.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
Our acoustic engineers typically evaluate the sonic performance of our products using a wide range of string music, vocal recordings, and orchestral pieces. Commonly selected test tracks include:
- Vivaldi – The Four Seasons
- Céline Dion – I’m Alive
- Eagles – Hotel California
These tracks allow us to comprehensively assess dynamic range, vocal clarity, soundstage, and resolution.
What other products pair best with yours?
Our product line covers everything from digital sources to speakers and cables. In our internal evaluations, we exclusively use products from our own line. However, based on extensive customer feedback, our products have been shown to pair extremely well with a wide range of other brands available in the market.
Used
Denafrips
What if you spend more?
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- Known for analog-like qualities in dealing with transcoding zeros and ones
- Conveys low-level musical complexity and subtle spatial nuances that other DACs have difficulty with
- Produces voices that expand in three dimensions with a refreshing sense of presence, reminiscent of vinyl reproduction
- Returns energy to the music, instead of taking it away
- Reproduces details and anchor points with refreshing vividness, presenting the actuality with the least fragmentation of the sound image
Product Considerations
- A single-ended into a balanced pre configuration caused occasional static, making image difficult to discern during those moments
- Clarity could be improved on very complex choirs and instruments, and more separation would also be beneficial
- The attack on drums is slightly slow—perhaps medium paced—compared to some DACs
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to CH Precision C1.2 DAC, the DAC III is more emotionally involving, while the CH Precision sounds markedly cooler, flatter, and more emotionally restrained
- Compared to aqua acoustic quality Formula xHD, the Formula xHD retrieves detail, bass precision, articulation, and transparency better, while the DAC III is airier, more fluid, and more refined
- Compared to Holo Audio May, the attack on drums is slightly slow—perhaps medium paced—and behind the Holo Audio May as well
Takeaway: The SW1X Audio Design DAC III Balanced has a musicality that makes it worth considering. It expresses music in a way that is closer to analog, with a natural transparency and higher degree of contrast.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Surprisingly technical, with resolution on par or better than anything else heard at its price point
- Conveys the time of music extremely well, notably with exceptional leading-edge portrayal and high resolution/micro dynamics
- Offers excellent timbre
- The internal streamer presented better clarity in the bass
Product Considerations
- With signals above PCM 24 bits and 192 kHz, the converter down-samples the signals
- DSD signal is converted internally to a PCM signal, since the R2R resistor ladder is a 24-bit circuit
- Treble compensation may be needed for optimal sound, or to lower excessive treble energy
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Versus Totaldac d1-tube DAC/Streamer, the d1-unity offers greater clarity, voice, and impact, providing a more fully resolved picture
- Versus Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC, the d1-unity offers more body, tone, and texture, whereas the Mola Mola emphasizes upper frequencies a bit more
- Matches the resolution and dynamic presentation of the Chord Dave
- The internal streamer is marginally better than the Sonore Optical Rendu
Takeaway: The d1-unity is a good option for those seeking an engaging and high-resolution digital source. It is especially suited for listeners who appreciate a physical and vibrant presentation of music.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- A 'stupendous piece of gear' that invites the user to listen differently from the rest.
- Exceptionally well-designed and well-built.
- The circuits are unusual.
- Features an all-tube, no oversampling, no filtering design.
- Voices were floating around the listening room—musical instruments could easily be discerned.
Product Considerations
- Not for digital purists seeking modern digital brickwall filters and megahertz FPGA oversampling technologies.
- A single input DAC with two possible interfaces.
- USB and SPDIF cables must be swapped manually.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs PS Audio Directstream DAC—not even close.
Takeaway: The SW1X DAC III is a well-designed and built piece of gear that invites the user to listen to music differently. It offers an organic and realistic sound, making it a worthwhile option for those seeking a unique listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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