From a product release standpoint, it makes zero sense to release Apex and a few months later change it all. I would honestly be annoyed if a new DAC comes out having just spent $9000 on an Apex upgrade - I would have rather upgraded to the new DAC.
I think it might be v3 of the software. If I recall correctly, software releases have been around the Feb timelines for the most part.
As for the speculation about DSD1024 and all that jazz, I personally think this is nonesense.
Both the non-Apex and Apex boards contain the same FPGAs. What can run on Apex can also run on non-Apex.
Yes. And the same FPGA circuitry is in all dCS DACs, yet Bartok run v1 until recently, and Lina still runs v1. It’s a way to make product differentiation. Given they are atuned to such product differentiation, the release of new flasgship DAC hardware seems to me incompatible with having released Apex. If they were looking into this - and such a new product take a long time to develop so they would have known a year ago - they would have NOT released Apex at all.
The software update is what makes the most sense to me, I really think the hardware part is well covered, especially if there’s gonna be an apex release for the Bartok, it means all of their products are updated. Mosaic could really use an update too.
And again, I don’t really see room for a new product, Vivaldi is still top of the line, I don’t think they want to introduce something lower performance than Bartok.
Having recently just ordered a Vivaldi I will be far from pleased if the Next Generation supersedes it, or worse, makes it obsolete so there are no future software and firmware updates.
If this is a Vivaldi successor, I am betting your dealer can fully accommodate your dollars. 
I would recommend you halt your order just in case. But I am getting more and more convinced this is a software update.
They got everyone excited and upgrading to Apex and still in the process of, they can’t release something better than that, I really don’t see a new product coming out, doesn’t add up, the lineup is coherent.
They proceed in order, they got the hardware taken care of, now time to release software / mapping.
After they make you pay for an upgrade, now they treat with a freebie. It’s the most logical.
They didn’t want to release too soon because it’s a sonic improvement and possibly people would have held off on the apex upgrade, being happy with the change.
We just have to wait and see …
If the image used in the announcement indeed is part of The Next Generation, then we can say something from it:
It shows just AES1 and AES2, not 3 and 4, like on the present Vivaldi DAC:
Also it just has 3 clock connections.
The top picture also shows something funny on the Unbalanced Analogue Out Right. It is not looking like the regular one on Vivaldi and Rossini.
FWIW
I agree - Wouldn’t higher rates require a new network board (for ethernet at least)? if they were going that route, why note offer a board swap at the same time as APEX?
AES 1 and 2 and and 3 world clock is also the Bartok.
So it could be an upgrade/update to the Bartok which would correlate with the apex upgrade coming to bartok that is being rumoured but then maybe it’s something different than apex, specifically for bartok which wouldn’t cannibalise rossini.
Indeed!
But why call a new Bartók, that just got 2.0, a next generation?
I haven’t seen it, but the latest TAS magazine seems to have a Bartok Apex advert in it, according a forummember on whatsbestforum
The reason for ordering when I did was to avoid a substantial (16%) price increase announced for 15 January 2023. There is a separate thread on this forum about that. Fingers crossed it is a software update!
Maybe a Reference 10MHz Clock?
Maybe the next generation Software v3?
Maybe the next generation DAC with APEX II?
Maybe the next generation DAC without APEXI?
Maybe the next generation Streamer with cover display?
Maybe a new finish in Gold?
I think a new generation Ring DAC.
Let’s be patient and just wait.
I want to sleep peacefully tonight.
Could be a software upgrade just for Vivaldi and Rossini. Apex is hardware.
the proof is there 
