[koven]

Nice video from Darko on the Bartok.

 

[Fredoo]

Thanks, serious device!
Now when can we expect the no-deal Brexit?

 

[tmarshl]

Nice video from Darko on the Bartok.

Great review! Very accurate in my estimation, as I own the Bartok and have also owned the Chord Dave.

I love that John does not bombard you with technical jargon, but uses concise analogies to demonstrate his points.

I prefer his reviews to ones laden with engineering terms and measurements, as the “best” measurements do not always translate into the best sound to me. YMMV.

 

[Ross]

DCS dacs used to have a reputation for being bright, as well as lacking a certain musicality. This seems to have changed with the Bartok, judging by the comments of the few people who have heard it.

I'm very intrigued by this DAC and wondering how it would compare to my Ayre QX5, and also to the more expensive Rossini.

 

[BassicScience]

DCS dacs used to have a reputation for being bright, as well as lacking a certain musicality. This seems to have changed with the Bartok, judging by the comments of the few people who have heard it.

I'm very intrigued by this DAC and wondering how it would compare to my Ayre QX5, and also to the more expensive Rossini.

I auditioned the Bartok with a pair of Focal Utopias at CanJam last month. Didn't find it bright or unmusical. It gave me the same impression as dCS DACs (Rossini and Vivaldi) I've heard in high end speaker setups in the past, namely that it's not the last word in detail retrieval. At least that's how my ears hear it...

 

[SalR406]

I'm very intrigued by this DAC and wondering how it would compare to my Ayre QX5, and also to the more expensive Rossini.

As a happy Ayre QX-5 owner, I'm not really interested in how the Bartók sounds...

No really...

I'm not...

What?

 

[Ross]

I'm also extremely happy with the QX5. Mine replaced a DAVE/Blu 2 and I much prefer the Ayre. I really shouldn't be thinking about another DAC, and yet can't help being curious about the Bartok.

 

[SalR406]

I'm also extremely happy with the QX5. Mine replaced a DAVE/Blu 2 and I much prefer the Ayre. I really shouldn't be thinking about another DAC, and yet can't help being curious about the Bartok.

Tongue-in-cheek, of course. The Bartók seems like a wonderful piece and very tempting to consider. Always fun to think about what might be next...

 

[Articnoise]

I auditioned the Bartok with a pair of Focal Utopias at CanJam last month. Didn't find it bright or unmusical. It gave me the same impression as dCS DACs (Rossini and Vivaldi) I've heard in high end speaker setups in the past, namely that it's not the last word in detail retrieval. At least that's how my ears hear it...

You got me curious, lol. If Rossini and Vivaldi are not the last word in detail retrieval, which DACs are in your opinion better?

 

[Amberlamps]

I was wondering, how would the bartok compare to say, a chord dave or a tt2 and mscaler ?

I can't recall, but am I right in thinking the bartok only does upto 384khz and dsd 128 ? Not 100%, I think I read that somewhere ages ago.

Anyone with first hand experience with roughly the same setups ?

Cheers

 

[Amberlamps]

I did not realise the bartok was so big from the pictures until i found this one.

W.T.F, is it that big :|

 

[iDesign]

I was wondering, how would the bartok compare to say, a chord dave or a tt2 and mscaler ?

I can't recall, but am I right in thinking the bartok only does upto 384khz and dsd 128 ? Not 100%, I think I read that somewhere ages ago.

Anyone with first hand experience with roughly the same setups ?

Cheers

Correct, it only does:
https://www.dcsltd.co.uk/products/bartok-headphone-dac-amplifier/specification

 

[BassicScience]

You got me curious, lol. If Rossini and Vivaldi are not the last word in detail retrieval, which DACs are in your opinion better?

Well, I own the Questyle CAS192D Gold Edition, which is the best DAC I've heard in my system (speakers or headphones). I prefer it to every dCS DAC I've heard. And it costs $3k. As I said above: "that's the way *I* hear it". YMMV.

 

[FangJoker]

I was wondering, how would the bartok compare to say, a chord dave or a tt2 and mscaler ?

I can't recall, but am I right in thinking the bartok only does upto 384khz and dsd 128 ? Not 100%, I think I read that somewhere ages ago.

Anyone with first hand experience with roughly the same setups ?

Cheers

Not sure about the TT2 and mscaler vs bartok, but it is way better than just the TT2 imho. Bartok and other dCS DACs are the best I've heard, but I know that there's other DACs in the $25k and up range that I haven't gotten to hear yet and are likely great in comparison to the Vivaldi. But when I checkout impressions of high end audio shows, dCS seems to be paired with a majority of systems. If I ever find another deal on a used Vivaldi, I'm not going to sleep on it.

 

[Delacaff]

Hi,

Has anyone listened to the Abyss TC through the Bartok? Has this DCS the ability to drive the Abyss easily?