[CreditingKarma]

I haven't seriously compared the Qobuz and Tidal MQA. I only know a little bit about MQA and not enough to fully understand or how it compares to actual high res on Qobuz. You probably saw... Qobuz ad says "better than MQA" lol. Not sure if it true, but could be convincing. When I listen to MQA, though, I think I can understand why it is gaining traction. And MQA implementation on the Bartok is quite special, arguably one of the best I believe.

I agree I had not liked mqa on the chord dacs they don't do the unfold. Now with the Bartok I find MQA to sound really good. I am pleasantly surprised.

 

[kerisabe]

I agree I had not liked mqa on the chord dacs they don't do the unfold. Now with the Bartok I find MQA to sound really good. I am pleasantly surprised.

have u done comparison between mqa and qobuz on the bartok?

 

[CreditingKarma]

have u done comparison between mqa and qobuz on the bartok?

I have not I don't currently have qobuz subscription. Maybe in the future. I am just currently enjoying the Bartok.

 

[crion]

I agree I had not liked mqa on the chord dacs they don't do the unfold. Now with the Bartok I find MQA to sound really good. I am pleasantly surprised.

MQA HW decode > MQA SW decode. It happens on every well designed full MQA DAC, the music just releases from the transducers and float. Vibrancy in the air. In my speaker systems I run the Meridian 210 streamer and the difference is vast letting SW decode (Tidal client/ROON) or HW like the 210, 818v3, Bartok, Myteks..

 

[tmarshl]

I haven't seriously compared the Qobuz and Tidal MQA. I only know a little bit about MQA and not enough to fully understand or how it compares to actual high res on Qobuz. You probably saw... Qobuz ad says "better than MQA" lol. Not sure if it true, but could be convincing. When I listen to MQA, though, I think I can understand why it is gaining traction. And MQA implementation on the Bartok is quite special, arguably one of the best I believe.

I am in the process of comparing Tidal MQA to Qobuz Hi-Rez on the Bartok. So far, I would have to say that it varies with the particular album. Some MQA is spectacular. It depends on the recording and mastering. But I will say that having to wade through all of the hip-hop on Tidal (not interested) makes me more likely to select Qobuz first.

 

[kerisabe]

Talking from my own experience w both, i feel like streaming through qobuz, i hear more “air” compared to tidal. The sound is more open.

 

[CreditingKarma]

Did everyone get the Bartok with the headphone output? Am I the only one who bought the dac only model? I really liked the headphone section but felt that it just lacked a bit with the Abyss. I actually preferred the liquid platinum to the headphone section on the Bartok. Maybe it has to do with the power output.

 

[snk8699]

Did everyone get the Bartok with the headphone output? Am I the only one who bought the dac only model? I really liked the headphone section but felt that it just lacked a bit with the Abyss. I actually preferred the liquid platinum to the headphone section on the Bartok. Maybe it has to do with the power output.

I got the headphone output because almost all the published reviews highly recommended it. In fact, most said that it was well worth the additional $1500 because it drove 99% of the headphones on the market today with both a balanced and single-ended output. The Audiophiliac (Steve) on his YouTube channel mentioned that the Bartok drove his entire collection of headphones to the best he has ever heard them. I personally invested in the Bartok to eliminate a number of separate boxes. There is something very appealing about an all-in-one collection of technologies in a single chassis.

FWIW, I would say the balanced headphone output has a subtle sonic improvement over the single-ended with both headphones I own and have borrowed.

 

[CreditingKarma]

I got the headphone output because almost all the published reviews highly recommended it. In fact, most said that it was well worth the additional $1500 because it drove 99% of the headphones on the market today with both a balanced and single-ended output. The Audiophiliac (Steve) on his YouTube channel mentioned that the Bartok drove his entire collection of headphones to the best he has ever heard them. I personally invested in the Bartok to eliminate a number of separate boxes. There is something very appealing about an all-in-one collection of technologies in a single chassis.

FWIW, I would say the balanced headphone output has a subtle sonic improvement over the single-ended with both headphones I own and have borrowed.

I just am not sure that it drove the abyss to the best it can be driven. Maybe I should call and see if I can swap it for a version with the headphone output.

 

[onlychild]

I just am not sure that it drove the abyss to the best it can be driven. Maybe I should call and see if I can swap it for a version with the headphone output.

Was the gain for the HP output set to 0 versus -10 or -20 or -30db?

it powers my susvaras well set to 0db using balanced out

 

[CreditingKarma]

Was the gain for the HP output set to 0 versus -10 or -20 or -30db?

it powers my susvaras well set to 0db using balanced out

It was set at 0db it powered them well I am just not sure how much more I can get from an additional amp. I am using mine with a liquid platinum. I also reached out to see if there is a way to get one with the headphone section.

I listened with my friends traformatic Primavera and it was incredible but I would need to sell my speakers to fund it as it cost $15k.

 

[jscmd2000]

I had the Abyss Phi for over a year, and although no longer own them, am familiar with how they compared with the Susvaras which I still own. The Abyss Phi are slightly easier to drive than the Susvaras. Back then, the Abyss Phi were mediocre at best when driven directly by the Dave, which I no longer own either, surprise, but were listen-able. The Susvaras were just impossible.

The Bartok can drive the Susvaras with plenty of authority and style, but it is a $1500 amp with room for improvement if you want to go into thousands. For the price, I think it does a very good job to complement the Bartok and make it shine. It is class A, no need for interconnects or extra power supply. Recommend it if you can still get it.

 

[jscmd2000]

So, in theory, it sounds like MQA can be almost as good as high res, but not surpass it.
Qobuz ad is right then, better than MQA.

 

[CreditingKarma]

I had the Abyss Phi for over a year, and although no longer own them, am familiar with how they compared with the Susvaras which I still own. The Abyss Phi are slightly easier to drive than the Susvaras. Back then, the Abyss Phi were mediocre at best when driven directly by the Dave, which I no longer own either, surprise, but were listen-able. The Susvaras were just impossible.

The Bartok can drive the Susvaras with plenty of authority and style, but it is a $1500 amp with room for improvement if you want to go into thousands. For the price, I think it does a very good job to complement the Bartok and make it shine. It is class A, no need for interconnects or extra power supply. Recommend it if you can still get it.

I am waiting to hear back from the dealer I only have had the Bartok for less than 2 weeks so I am hoping that they would take it back and just charge me the extra for the model with the amp. If not I might just buy my buddies formula s. He just bought the traformatic Primavera and the fully upgraded MSB premire.

The MSB and the Bartok were more similar than they were different. I think the Bartok was slightly less refined in the highs. They are both great dacs and I am interested to see what the rossini clock would do for the Bartok.

Also hopefully they will release the version 2 firmware update like they did for the rossini. I read on the roon forum that they are waiting to upgrade the rossini to a v3 before they release a v2 for the Bartok as it would put them really close in performance.

 

[ZRW0]

Was the gain for the HP output set to 0 versus -10 or -20 or -30db?

it powers my susvaras well set to 0db using balanced out

Hello,

I have a Bartok with a built-in headphone output, and I'm also using the balanced output.

Although I have less demanding headphones than the Abyss or Susvara (currently a Tror, a HD800S, and an Empyrean), I found I had to respect the user manual to the letter to get the most satisfying results.
Which means the gain must be set for a comfortable listening volume level to be between -30dB and -10dB. There you get the best sound experience.

When I received my Bartok, I didn't read the user manual, and set the gain to -0dB, and was a bit disappointed by the amp section.
After I read the user manual, I set the gain to -20db for the Empyrean and -10dB for the two others. Then I heard great improvements.

Now, with the Empyrean, I'm most of the time in the -20dB +/-5dB volume range with the -20dB gain... (whereas I was in the -40dB +/-5dB range with the -0dB gain before)

Hope this can help,

Erwan.