If you hear that, then yes, I would agree something needs to be improved. By all indications, the Ethernet input on the Bartok should be superior to the USB. So, why did it sound worse? I believe you that it did sound worse to you, but I would want to understand why— because it shouldn’t . That’s the question that should be asked. Perhaps the dealer connected the Bartok to the network with a shielded Ethernet cable? Or has a noisy switch, or is running things right off the combo modem/router/wifi box? Who knows.
The dealer had apparently dozens of devices on their network and pretty standard generic cabling. There indeed could have been something wrong with their network in particular, or even Qobuz. You would think with their $110,000 Wilson Alexx’s they would have noticed, but then again some people just like a more “digital” sound. I’m personally not that much of the fan of the ubiquitous D’Agostino+Wilson DCS pairing.
When my Bartok arrives on Friday I will have the opportunity to do some testing in my own system. Unfortunately, I did not have the option of doing this before purchase.
Qualitatively the was a certain hazy signature over everything and grayish background that I didn’t like streaming off Qobuz.
We know from comparisons of similar equipment from the same manufacturer— e.g. , the PS Audio DirectStream and its Network Bridge and Direct Memory Player, all three of which I have owned and have high-value SQ—that the same company’s implementation of Ethernet and say, I2S between the transport and the DAC, can produce audibly different results. But that’s not because a protocol is inferior or spinning discs are superior; it’s because of how well it is executed in the DAC itself.
One of my current DACs is the PS Audio Directstream. I’ve found the input sound quality was indeed highly variable, although I never used the network Bridge. Right now I have a MacBook with Audirvana-> 12" Wireworld Starlight 7 Platinum USB->iFi iGalvanic 3.0->Shunyata Sigma USB->iFi iPurifier-> Matrix XSPDIF-2-> Wireworld Starlight 7 Platinum HMDI (I2S)-> Directstream. This chain could undoubtedly be improved with a better digital source but it provides a deeper black background than the Bartok at the dealers. (Part of the rationale for the Innous is that I was planning on buying one for my other DACs anyway) I use a similar chain with a Mytek Manhattan II substituting the I2S with a Shunyata Alpha AES cable and it also has a really nice black background.
If the Bartok ethernet input in my home setup can significantly better these chains without fancy cables or black boxes, I would love to save the money and put it toward better power cables or a nice vibration rack. I will have to try it for myself.