My first post here. I’ve recently bought an ex-demo Bartok and managed to get a Vivaldi master clock (the latter from an obscure auction of an estate. Not ebay).
I suppose I was a bit of a sceptic about the benefits of attaching a clock but after reading the comments here I couldn’t resist the opportunity of getting one at a very good price. Well, suffice to say, I’m no longer a sceptic. The difference in so many factors of the sound quality is quite extraordinary. So much so, and also after reading various posts on here, I am sorely tempted to upgrade the Bartok to a pre-owned Rossini which I think will sound very, very good with the Vivaldi clock. I understand the SQ would be somewhat ‘fuller’ with an increased richness but without loss of detail etc. I daresay there will be other benefits.
I previously had an Aurender S10 running through an esoteric K-03 DAC and I would say the Bartok, whilst giving more of a layered insight to the music, is noticeably leaner although my ears are adjusting.
I have a question: The Vivaldi Clock was easy to set up using the menus accessed by the buttons on the face. It plugs and plays perfectly. The only thing I do not seem to be able to control is the on/off of the illuminated dCS logo on the display. On the Bartok you can do this using Mosaic but the app does not recognise the Vivaldi clock. I also can’t find the IP address for the clock to input this on Mosaic which might help it to find it. Does anyone have any ideas on this?
Ah, whilst typing this a window opened directing to me to a previous thread within which it is indicated that the Vivaldi clock does not have an illuminated dCS logo unlike the Bartok. That seems a bit odd but question answered. Hello to everybody anyway.
In case you’re interested I run the front end through an Audio Research Ref3 pre-amp and Ref75 Power amp into a pair of Raidho C1.1 monitors. Very happy with the sound.
Many thanks in a advance and I’m enjoying reading the multitudes of good advice and opinions in the posts.
I suspect that the answer may be ( at least partly) because the Vivaldi hardware was designed some time before Rossini and Bartok and an illuminated logo was either not then feasible or thought of.
One thing that you may want to bear in mind for your future with dCS; the Apex upgrade is superb and available for both units. In part any decision must relate to how much you want to spend but bear this in mind.
Re your second point; yes, indeed which is why I am considering the purchase of the Rossini initially. That way I could add the Apex as a further upgrade in the future as and when the budget allows.
Congratulations! I’ve read many happy reports of members here who started with a Bartok and moved up.
I went from an Esoteric K0-5x to a Bartok (now with Clock) and my experience was the opposite of yours. I find the Bartok fuller and richer in my setup then the Esoteric unit. The Esoteric did have (what I consider an elevated upper bass, upper mids and lower treble which gave it a forward and aggressive sound - albeit one with heightened sense of what some call ‘slam’)
Welcome to the dCS family - hope to see much more of you up on here over time.
Just to confirm - there is no control for the front panel dCS logo on the Vivaldi Clock (it’s the same for the Vivaldi DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler and Vivaldi Transport)…
The Vivaldi clock doesn’t have an IP address - it doesn’t have a network connection either.
Now I have put a few more hours on the Bartok it appears to be playing more smoothly (in tone) than I remember it playing at the outset. Or I suppose it is possible that my ears are adjusting to the new sound presentation. It may also be that the more lengthy listening sessions I’ve been having is allowing my all valve amplification to thoroughly warm up.
I have to say that the SQ I was hearing over the last two evening sessions was so good it is difficult to imagine that it could improve by much at all… although I am sure it can as many on here will testify.
I have been scanning the classifieds for a non-apex Rossini to match with my Vivaldi clock and then sell the Bartock, (despite being supremely impressed with the latter… it sounds superb and operates faultlessly). With the release of the Rossini Apex is it likely that some ex-demo or pre-owned Rossinis are likely to come up for sale in the near future? Or will the majority upgrade to Apex which I will hopefully do in the future?
I have to say I have been taken aback with the Bartock and clock. This is not my first dCS set up… I previously owned a classic stack (Verdi, Delius and Purcell), which was also good but of dubious provenance and not all of the functions worked correctly including the DSD through the firewire connections. It was still a good player but nowhere near the level of my current unit.
Anyway, thanks for the responses/advice and if anyone knows of a Rossini for sale (non-Apex), I would be grateful if you could give me a pointer.
