Your observations tally very well with my own. It’s hard to describe the difference with Vivaldi (which is my digital reference, and pretty damn good) other than “more of everything” or “it just sounds more ‘right’”. After my listening session at the factory I made the mistake of summarizing my impressions to Andy McHarg as “like the very best analog I’ve heard”. He was not amused… 
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This will remain for me a product like, per @PAR’s example, a Bugatti: beautiful, incredible, and desirable in theory, but never in the purchase planning horizon.
Separately, this is interesting. After viewing many, many show pics, to my knowledge, dCS never demos with a preamp.
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At Paragon they have always used a pre-amp when demoing with any dCS product.
I specifically asked David about running the Verse direct into amps and he did indicate that is how they normally run it in the factory, direct into amps.
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The high price of Varèse is a distinctive feature.
dCS cater to 3 types of customers: audiophiles, music lovers and luxury lovers. The latter aim for the most expensive brand available.
Understood Ermos.
Though it is an inferior product, I personally think dCS should consider following Chord’s strategy and introduce at least one product a below the Bartok price point. This would introduce more people to the brand, who in turn may choose to follow the upgrade path, as many of us have done.
They have dome more than consider a product costing less than Bartok. They produce it. It is called Lina ( it isn’t just headphone system, It can be the centre of a 2 channel system - without the headphone unit if you like). UK prices, Bartok 19K, Lina 12.5K.
I am not sure if we are getting a good representation of how many individuals will consider purchasing the Varese or any other similarly priced audiophile component by reading the comments posted on this or any other board.
At least from my perspective I find that the very well off individuals who have purchased WAMM’s, Chronosonics, Relentless amps and pre’s, Transparent Magnum Opus cabling, the big Burmeister etc, do not spend their days participating on audio websites. For the majority of these individuals it is not whether they will purchase the Ferrari or the Relentless, or a Porsche Turbo or the Verese, they are the “and” buyers. They can buy this and that.
I am not saying that there are not some very well off individuals who read and participate on this site. If you own Rossini or Vivaldi you should not be worrying about your next meal, vacation or have raided the kids college fund. I am making the point that just about everyone of us here has noted that the Varese pricing is above our comfort zone. Fortunately for dCS and our dealers the individuals who will buy this product probably don’t participate on this or any other site.
Although I do not participate on many other sites I still find the dCS Community site to be very different than the others. The goal here seems to be to help other dCS owners get the most out of their purchase. I am not just speaking of moderators or dCS tech help. There are some truly gifted individuals who regularly participate to help us with set-up, networking questions, and how DAC’s, streamers or cabling function.
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(!) I see. I actually know nothing about the Lina as I thought it was a pure headphone product. My bad and thank you for letting me know.
You might enjoy reading this review which tries the units in various permutations including just as a streaming DAC (with and without clock):
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-84-dcs-lina-da-processor-and-lina-master-clock
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I totally agree. I got to hear about dCS though investigating its Network Bridge. Probably the best option to integrate my ageing Chord Music Streamer (DSX 1000) to the ROON interface. In the end I found cheaper adequate alternatives. By then, in the middle of the pandemic, I was hooked and in particular I found this forum which guided me towards my Rossini and Clock purchase. I have stayed loyal to Chord electronics, however, through their amplification.
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I wonder if the Varese update will also require upgrading the rest of the systems (Amplifier, Pre-amplifier, Speakers, cables, etc.).
So we are talking here about close to $500k.
Regards,
Sourav
Require … no
Encourage … possibly
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That depends what one already has. I can think of several correspondents here who could install Varese with no need to think about other components. I wonder if any will though? For the rest of us it’s all out of reach anyway.
However I can’t off-hand think of any correspondents here who could install Varèse without significantly rebuilding their rack! 
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Racks are cheap, comparatively speaking. 
I can, but it may be invidious to name them, though if by rebuilding you are just thinking of physical housing that may well be an issue though I would need more information. They certainly already have the required level of amplification and speaker, albeit if only IMO. Of course these days one can continue to spend almost without limit so someone may think that,say, a pair of Vivid Moya M1 is the lowest one can go ( $465,000) 
.
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I was joking Pete, although there was a semi-serious point there insofar as I don’t recall seeing anyone with space for two additional boxes (including one the height of the Core) without adding shelves, changing spacers etc. While most rack systems are modular some of the ones I have seen on the “Showing (off)” thread cost IRO 10-25% of the cost of a Varèse.
If I had the finances I would certainly spring for a Moya M1 or speakers at that price level and a pair of Relentless amps before say a house in Los Angeles or Vail, and it would be less than 40% of the entry price into those markets. 
Some might consider it “showing off” but given the number of people other than myself who have ever heard my system is under 5, I’m doing a poor job of it. 
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Vivid Moya M1, with Wadax gear is candidate for the ugliest hi-fi ever built in the galaxy, not only on earth for sure 
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