Unfortunately the option to upgrade at the reduced tariff was expiring on March 1st, 2023. It was $6000 Canadian. After that it will be $12,000. At the least it will preserve my resale value. At the best I will have some APEX magic. It was a winning proposition to me. It’s cheaper than a clock from dCS and I’m sure it will have a more demonstrable contribution to my sound quality.
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Yes, the impact of Apex is bigger than a clock’s.
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How does one go about upgrading a Bartok if it’s with the distributor for repair? Been disappointed the time it has taken thus far. 
The unit has been in the their hand since beginning of Jan, in the mean time DCS has announced their upgrade. It’s less than a year old.
The precise answer depends on where you are which I see from your past postings is Australia (a good idea if you add this to your profile). Generally the upgrade is booked through your accredited dCS dealer. He or the distributor carries out the work. As you say it is currently with the distributor already then I assume that the dealer and distributor will make the necessary arrangements. This might also serve as a nudge to speed the return of your unit depending on the circumstances. However in many countries regarding the Apex upgrade so far (Vivaldi and Rossini) a waiting list has been necessary. Whether the situation is similar for Bartok and/or in Australia I can’t say as I have not yet seen any reports.
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In repair for months? This is strange. Contact dCS customer service.
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Agreed - that would make me VERY unhappy and, imho, does reputational damage to the brand
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I’ve dropped you a private message on the forum so we can look into this for you.
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Hello @haha161. I suppose your bartok apex is burnt in now? Do you confirm your initial impression ? Any other things coming up more than better detail? Thanks
sorry, bartók apex not burn in yet,
went to a trip for two weeks
will start burning in with music this week
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I normally play music through DAC’s 24x7 when I get a new one. They don’t need the Pre or Amps on while doing this.
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Right, although I would recommend having the outputs connected to the amplification as it will present a bit of a load to the output of the DAC which is useful for break-in.
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I 100% agree.
An email from Martins, a dealer in York, says that the Bartok Apex includes an improved clock, upgraded power supply, enhanced signal processing and improved output stage over the previous version. I can find no mention of these upgrades being offered to existing owners so a tad confused as to what an Apex upgrade entails.
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Martins seems to be telling you about the latest iteration of Bartok which, like Vivaldi and Rossini, is now Bartok Apex. The difference is as listed by Martins ( unsure about the clock though). Existing owners may have these same improvements fitted to their unit. This is a hardware upgrade and unlike free firmware upgrades is chargeable and , in the UK, involves the unit going back to the factory via the dealer. You need to check with your dealer as to the current price and availability. The last time I looked it was £7500.
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Thanks Pete - FYI this is the clock wording issued by Martins 1. Improved Clocking System: The dCS Bartok Apex features an improved clocking system, which reduces jitter and provides more accurate timing for the digital-to-analog conversion process. This can lead to a more stable and accurate reproduction of the audio signal. My question is basically if I stump up £7.5k will my Bartok then be the same as the current Apex model in terms of specification?
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According to the dCS media releases, “Units upgraded to Bartók APEX are identical to the new model in every way, including the APEX nameplate on the rear panel.”
This is is the first I recall hearing specifically about clocking improvements, and I could not find a reference to it in any story about Apex.
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Re-reading the Bartok Apex link that I posted earlier it does , indeed, mention clocking architecture but is a little ambiguous as to whether they refer to the dCS way of clocking in general or a new improvement in this particular aspect. Whichever , yes, a Bartok with the Apex upgrade fitted has the same specification as a new Bartok even down to the case now identifying it as Bartok Apex.
The upgrade is expensive especially as a percentage on top of the original cost of the unit. Viewed just as a way of keeping up to date overlooks the audible upgrade that Apex brings. As it has only been available for a little over a month and as the upgrades take time ( especially if, like the Vivaldi and Rossini Apex upgrades demand is such that a queue necessary) there are so far few reports here on the performance found. I can say that when I had it fitted to my Vivaldi ( Apex upgrade is effectively the same for all models) the result has turned out to be very significant. It does take time to burn in and many of us are recommending 100 hours minimum. However, every track , repeat every, reveals aspects that I have never heard before.
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I went back and re-read it. A “little ambiguous” is correct.
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I went back and reread it also. I didn’t recall any mention of clocking for the Rossini/Vivaldi APEX upgrade:
“Sharing the same electronics as our Vivaldi and Rossini systems, it features the latest generations of our pioneering Ring DAC™ APEX, clocking architecture, and digital processing platform —a unique combination of hardware and software unrivalled in its sonic and technical performance.”
Now I am wondering if I should “downgrade” from my Rossini… (?)
Yes, if you read certain overviews of dCS they can be interpreted to indicate that the commonality of basic architecture and approaches might lead one to wonder why you should spend so much for a performance seemingly also obtainable from the entry level product. However although the concepts behind each model are similar the execution of them differs, for example the multi box approach of the the top of range line allows for the optimum placement of transformers with relation to other circuit elements or the larger budget gives room to use some superior versions of circuit components etc.
The outcome of this is that dCS has always ensured that not only do the different ranges provide better measurements as the hierarchy is ascended but also that the differences are clearly audible. You can find numerous examples of users upgrading through the lines but I have never read of anyone finding that the model below was equal or superior.
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