Showing (off) your dCS setup - description and photos

I have a similar thing from artesania on both my dac, and upsampler can’t say i noticed any difference. But as they came with the rack they might as well be used than sit in a cupboard.
Maybe i should try them on my other gear to see if they change

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I also have two which came with my double width Artesania rack. Like Duncan I can’t discern any difference with or without them but have them sitting on the Vivaldi DAC and the preamp. I get quite a few comments about what they are and how they would make great paperweights (or door stops)!

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I prefer silver over black due to dust, especially in the hard to reach corners :wink:

Awesome stack!
Still looking for a DarTZeel CTH-8550 mkII myself.
Thanks for sharing!

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I’ve not yet compared with and without, @RyanB — will try in the next while and report back.

Agreed re: silver, @Ivo, and it just goes so bloody well with the dCS and darTZeel gear. Good luck finding the 8550. Great amp.

At the risk of overdoing my posts on this thread I thought I’d add another couple of the headphone setup I hooked up properly today. One of the benefits of the independent outputs on the dCS gear is that I can go RCA on a short run to the darTZeel preamp and a long balanced run via XLRs to the headphone rack. One day I’ll compare my commissioned amps (and the RAAL SR1a’s weirdo box) to the Lina — really enjoy the dCS’s form factor.


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Aurender W20SE just landed :star_struck:

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It looks fantastic over here too Rob!

Double Congrats!

I think Frank would be pleased. :wink:

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How does it sound? Do you like it better then the bridge?

Which Bridge? Many years ago I started exploring streamed music with a PS Audio Directstream/BridgeII combo. This bridge was soon replaced with a Melco N1ZS10.

Recently purchased a dCS Vivaldi APEX dac, for the time being connected to the Melco through usb. Knowing the Vivaldi dac is ‘only’ part of a digital playback system I didn’t rush for the dCS Vivaldi Upsampler Plus and/or Master Clock. Given the price list these days I first wanted to look into alternate possibilities. During this search I stumbled upon a used Aurender W20SE at an irresistible price.

I now kill two birds. Upsample availability, dual AES from Aurender to Vivaldi and clocks in sync (Vivaldi Wordclock out -Master- into the Aurender’s clock in).

Would the use of a dCS Vivaldi Upsampler and/or Masterclock outperform my solution? Probably, however to me for now I found the perfect solution.

I don’t feel any need for more, it’s that good!

And last but not least: Aurender’s Conductor app is terrific!

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I must admit i looked at this solution wheh i had just the vivaldi apex dac, and my melco N10 providing streaming, and storted music through USB.
I could see a nice saving on price against the upsampler, especially as i could sell the melco and use the built in storage in the aurender.
But i knew i would only still feel i was missing out on that ultimate performance the 3 pieces give you. The way they are all designed to work correctly together.
But i never actually tried it, so obviously i don’t know now close they are, as i decided to just go with the original plan. But it does look a good bit off kit, and offers lot’s for the price.
I take it you use the dual AES to connect to the dac.edit just looked at the pic above and see you are.

Enjoy

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I recognize that room. Hope you’re well, Gregg.

Colin

All good Colin
I just PM’d you.

during music migration…can’t understand why my wife doesn’t like the set-up :slight_smile:

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Nagra…so lovely :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I suspect your wife and mine would collude and plan some shallow graves if they met…

Two sets of speakers (temporarily) and a pile of scattered, uninstalled room treatment panels is working wonders on her desire for me to have a different hobby :grimacing:

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Wives and hifi :thinking:. Just think how lucky you are.

Back in the late 1970s I was standing in a well known London dealer’s shop. A car drew up outside ( you could do that 45 years ago), a guy gets out carrying a pair of LS3/5As. He dumps them on the counter " She says they’re too big".

A few years later I knew an unmarried guy with Goldmund t/t, Koetsu cartridge, Krell amps and Wilson Watt/Puppies. I bumped into him after he married. Bose mini system.

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:rofl: :rofl:…some things will never change…

Oh @PAR…I am NOT complaining. I couldn’t have set up these 100kg-per-side speakers sans my beloved wife.

Does she know the price of your wifi ? If she doesn’t, I would keep it secret if I were you. The price is very often the issue, the horrible look of the system too, but in your case she can be happy, we have seen much worse than that…

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She knows EVERYTHING…that’s the second problem :slight_smile:

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