Flexiware. The perhaps most publicized example of morphable sonics came by way of PS Audio's iterative firmware releases for their DirectStream DAC. Overwriting its older OS via memory card uploads kept changing the sound. Regular contributors Marja & Henk learnt the same about their two Devialets. Each new firmware release altered the sonics. If their tastes didn't agree with those alterations being better, they simply rolled back to an earlier version. Not etched in stone until death do us part, FPGA aka field-programmable gate arrays are custom-coded to perform their massive calculations and operations. Change their script and with it, their behaviour. In this way a designer can release occasional updates to retroactively move already sold units into the future of his ongoing learning.

With its dual FPGA, the Terminator's operating system too runs custom code. Whilst its hardware shares much with the next-down Venus model whose power supply is smaller however*, the firmware isn't the same. For end users, it's utterly academic to speculate over just what operating parameters in its firmware are different to enforce flagship sonics. That crafty software engineers even know how to massage code and strategically voice a component is magical enough.
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* "The 120VA multi-stage super regulated power supply of the Venus is closer to the Pontus model in fact. The Terminator's beefs up to 300VA with superior Elna, Elna Silmic 2 and Mundorf capacitors. Also, the FPGA coding of the Terminator is tuned to produce lush, dynamic and musical sound. Finally, it's 19kg versus 9kg. The Terminator converter and power supply boards are isolated from each other to eliminate possible EMF and there is an additional metal plate between the two."

In use, the pin-prick LEDs of Dan's black unit were red. I'm told they're the same for silver. Due to their tiny size, I couldn't see them from any distance so they never intruded. The Combo384 Amanero transceiver was readied for 768kHz already but either my iMac's OS or the PureMusic version installed limited 64-bit software upsampling to 384kHz. At 352.8kHz for integer RedBook upsampling, this worked without any hiccups whatsoever. In NOS mode, the Denafrips treats the incoming signal natively without applying any filtering itself. In OS mode, "signal is upsampled to 705.6kHz for the 44.1kHz family of rates; and to 768kHz for the 48kHz range. The display of 1x, 2x etc. indicates input not output format." So no 8x display in OS mode. That only fires if you upsample in PureMusic/Audirvana type software; or play hi-rez files at that sample rate. Now the Terminator receives a signal beyond CD/DVD rates and displays it as such. And, there's no 16x display in the first place to indicate the Terminator's target sample rates of 705.6/768kHz in OS mode. Finally, the shallow/sharp filter applies to both PCM and DSD.

Naturally, what Dan refers to as his "beast" sat utterly imperturbable on our Artesania Audio rack without any mechanical noise or heat. Unlike him, we don't own servers or SD card readers which output I²S. My entry points had to be USB for the iMac and AES/EBU for the Soundaware SD card transport. Having opportunity to compare various digital inputs, Dan's firm preference is for I²S over HDMI which "speaks exactly the same language" as the internal signal processing.


At this juncture, French reader Stephane inquired. "I've followed you for many years already and my electronics—W4S STP-SE Stage 2 preamp and D-Sonic amps into Revel Salon Ultima 2 speakers—were selected based on your reviews. Today my DAC is out of order and I need to replace it as soon as possible. I see you're reviewing the Terminator. My budget is around €3'500-4'500. I have two options: buy the Denafrips before your review finalizes; or something else. Do you have any advice for me?" Having listened to the Terminator for half a day already, my answer was clear. "I don't know what your second choice is but the Terminator performs on par beyond €10'000 and plays it very dense, juicy and slightly lush without any fatigue." I could be specific because our resident Aqua Hifi Formula is $13'800. There was no doubt that whilst voiced differently, the Terminator performed decisively on at least the same level.


Add tank-like build without visible fasteners in front, on top or the sides and comprehensive featurization with three-way I²S and fully balanced circuitry. With Chinese origins and direct sales to lower labour rates and cut out middlemen margins, the retail price in mid September 2017 was so aggressive that were it a person, it'd be in solitary supermax confinement to avoid harming others. In fact, I learnt that Mr. Zhao had positioned his flagship very deliberately to compete beyond five times its own price. It only seemed proper to inform Stephane right away before my listening continued to arrive at more detailed commentary.