!!! You!!!
How will be me telling you how my room response is and what I’ve done for it help YOU hear a difference among the dCS platforms??? 
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I agree about the importance of the room. That’s one of the main reasons I own Legacy speakers.
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I should not have read this 
I’ve been using the Bartok through a Ferrum Oor/Hypsos, simply lovely.
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So what are your favorite headphones? 
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Which headphone amps have you been using with the Bartok and driving the Abyss and Susvara, if you don’t mind me asking?
Adrian, I agree with you that the current lineup has some confusing aspects, but that’s because of the Apex transition, pricing changes over time, Bartok and Rossini having different feature sets and boxes, etc. I can’t speak to the relative value of differentiators between Bartok and Rossini today, let alone with Apex in the equation. All I know is that when I did demo the two back in early 2020, there was ample sonic differentiation between them. That impression could well be outdated. However, I don’t see how this means Rossini has lost value in the market or that Rossini owners are the odd man out. It’s still the middle box in the lineup, and I see no reason the next generation shouldn’t have a middle stack as well (or what that future possibility has to do with this issue anyway). To me, I could easily see the case for purchasing a used Rossini and getting it “Apex-ed.” As I said, Rossini was a better DAC than Bartok when I heard it in ‘20, and that took about 5 minutes of listening to determine. Why should an Apex version be comparatively worse?
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Indeed, I demoed a Bartok at home and disconnected it within five minutes because it wasn’t better than what I had.
It was only when I demoed a Rossini with Rossini Clock in store that it was worth taking another unit (well, units) home.
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I can send you the REW measurements before we start the conversation 
Hi thyerry, I am originally from Paris and I know the DCS dealer in Paris you mention (75012) where very often demonstrations of sold products has been taking place including DCS, often in the presence of the French distributor or even Raven BAWA from DCS . So I attended the demonstrations of the 3 old generation DCS dacs and yes there are differences immediately audible in identical acoustic conditions with sufficiently resolving speakers that are the Martin Logan ESL15A. You will just have to wait a little while to be able to make comparisons with the 3 new APEX’s. They already have the Vivaldi APEX in demo.
Best Regards
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I am sorry if I am repeating myself but the price to the customer is not set by dCS but by the distributor and retailer. n fact here in the UK it is not legal for manufacturers to impose prices. So dCS really cannot deal with your query as it is between you and the distributor and/or retailer.
I wish I had bought the Bartok Apex now, instead of buying the Bartok 2.0 last year. Because of the price set for the new Bartok Apex customers, and if I don’t upgrade my Bartok 2.0, the value of the device will dramatically drop on the secondhand market, so I would not afford buying the Rossini Apex. And if meanwhile I upgrade to Bartok Apex, I would enjoy more for sure, but still would have paid 6000 or so € more than the current price of the device. So the previous generation of Bartok buyers, to which I belong, are going to be stuck unless they can afford to lose a lot of money. Pardon my English, my mood is not good enough to elaborate…
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Warren, as noted above, I understand your frustration, but respectfully, I think you have it backwards. Only recent Bartok owners are getting the benefit of this discount. I don’t know any Vivaldi or Rossini owners who received a discount for the Apex upgrade. So, other than the more recent Bartok owners, everyone has been charged roughly the same depending on their region. How is this a “penalty”? It’s simply a discount to people who likely bought into Bartok at its highest pre-Apex price. Whether it is profitable to upgrade a Bartok at $7k is irrelevant; the dCS distributors, and perhaps even the dealers, get to set their prices. Not us. As Pete notes, I think this is a concern for which you need to have your dealer be your advocate or channel to the NA distributor. Nobody likes to feel like they are being dismissed, but in this case, the dCS UK folks are pointing you in the right direction.
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Hello Greg, Just when I wanted to get out they bring you back in…with my apologies for the loose Godfather reference. Was planning to end my incessant whining on the subject but your use of “discount” brought me back in. 
The first tier of pricing is the price and second higher one is the penalty. The Vivaldi and Rossini upgrade had a price, one price as far as I can determine.
If I was a betting man I would put good money on the number of owners paying the higher price being very close to zero and a large number of Bartok’s appearing on the open marketing the near future. If the first price was offered to all this would only give dCS NA a larger profit and not insure the larger negative of a burgeoning used market flattening the market for new.
I finally did speak to the NA distributor and he admitted it would be easier and likely more profitable to simply offer the one price but felt this may cause some grief to more recent owners who may expect a better deal. I told him I doubt dCS owners are that petty but perhaps I am a naive on this point.
Net effect, unhappy customers, stalled market due to large number of used Bartok’s appearing on the market and less profit to the distributor. Very odd business choice.
I’m done whining, Best to all.
I’m currently primarily using the Meze Elite, but I also have the Dan Clark Audio Stealth and Expanse.
I also use the Meze Liric with a Chord Mojo 2.
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No apologies for the Godfather reference; always a good one!
The Elite is also my current favorite. Been debating if I should add the Stealth since I could use a closed back as well.
I’m using Sennheiser HD800s with my Bartok. It is hard to imagine them being driven better by anything else
I used to love the Stealth, and still do (for acoustic guitar and piano). But the Elite is an amazing all rounder. At the end of the day, it satisfies.
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I purchased a Bartok 5 months ago.
Incredible sound.
I am considering the Apex upgrade. $4,500 + about a 2 month wait.
Waiting for reviews comparing before and after.