Dear all,
I m new to this forum. May i ask for vivaldi dac (alone w/o clock and upsampler), would if be better than the Rossini? I tried to search through the forum but no real direct comparison in this form.
Hope to hear some comments. Thx!
Yes , as the thread that fido links to, the Vivaldi DAC is better than a Rossini. However this is not a 1:1 comparison. The Rossini is also a network streamer and upsampler. Vivaldi DAC is only what it says it is. So if you need streaming and upsampling and do not have the wherewithal for a Vivaldi stack ( yes, you will want the clock) then the right product for you is a straightforward choice.
However you really need to go to a dCS dealer and have them demonstrate the two. Words are ultimately inadequate.
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I did see the thread, but didnt really get a conclusive answer.
A Rossini + clock is abt the same price as the Vivaldi DAC alone. Understand that the Rossini + clock is quite a complete source (in the sense that it has the upsampling function n network player) and i can still afford to get the clock. If i get only the vivaldi dac, i may not get the clock or upsampler together due too much cash outlay.
I had heard the Rossini + clock on a home demo but sadly a home demo is not possible (due no stock) from local dealer for the vivaldi.
Hence my question is really if i get better sound from a vivaldi dac (standalone) vs rossini + clock?
PS: i currently do not stream.
Hello,
If you do not stream then the answer is very easy, a Vivaldi Dac is way better than a Rossini. I bought a Vivaldi Dac eventually. I heard a Rossiniā¦wellā¦I wouldnāt have bought it, there was Italian competition that sounded better for less moneyā¦but the Vivaldi Dac is in a different leagueā¦
Given that choice although the Vivaldi DAC is better than the Rossini I would not buy it solus.
The reason is that, whether Rossini or Vivaldi, both really need the clock to provide their best performance. If you buy a Vivaldi and are absolutely sure that you will be unable to afford the Vivaldi clock later then you are buying yourself a lot of frustration as you will want the clock. So Rossini + clock is , IMO, a better path to contentment.
However, looking at either option the fact that you do not stream leads me to the question; what is your source? I am assuming silver disc but unless you have a dCS player, or other with a 75ohm wordclock input, you will not be able to synchronise the player and DAC. That is another important aspect which I donāt think you should overlook. If you want to play SACD as well as CD then you will have to buy a dCS player as the required connectivity using dual AES/EBU can only be met this way AFAIK.
So my advice would be , given your description of your circumstances, the Rossini Player plus clock would better for you if CD is your source. Yes the Vivaldi is ultimately better but to me it has to be thought of as the centre of a multi box system for which the outlay is considerable.
My source is naim core.
Then that is a form of streaming, just not internet streaming. Out of interest how do you envisage connecting the Naim Uniti Core to either the Vivaldi or Rossini?
A Naim coreā¦Then I agree with Peteā¦Rossini is more consistent and offers more functionalities. But the Naim Dac+streamer would be nice tooā¦Or Linn Klimax 
Hi, i thot i could just connect the core to the rossini or vivaldi just like how i now connect it to my naim DAC.
Pardon me as i m really new to dcs. 
Hi Chris, i had a home demo before on ND555 and not really impress me.
Thanks for the response. I meant what interface will you use; ethernet, BNC:S/Pdif , USB? There are various ways of doing this but all are not equal for the best SQ or even available whether you go for Rossini or Vivaldi ( DAC only).
Oh im using bnc to bnc currently btw my core and naim DAC, so will be doing the same if i buy dcs.
The Vivaldi DAC (only) accepts this, for your case:
3x SPDIF on 2x RCA Phono and 1x BNC connectors. Each will accept up to 24 bit PCM at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kS/s & DoP.
1x SPDIF optical on a Toslink connector, will accept up to 24 bit PCM at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2 & 96kS/s.
1x SDIF-2 interface on 2x BNC connectors, will accept up to 24 bit PCM at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2 & 96kS/s or SDIF-2 DSD (auto-selected). This interface requires a compatible Word Clock input, locked to the data rate.
You could manage to output your Naim Unity Core through UPnP / ethernet, and connect it with better results to a Rossini. Not of course to a Vivaldi DAC alone.
BNC is a good interface although I would say that the best input for the Rossini is ethernet. Should you choose that you would be using the Naim Core as NAS with control by dCS Mosaic. Of course Vivaldi DAC does not have an ethernet input ( you need the Upsampler for this as it also contains the network board).
dCS BNC inputs only accept DSD via DoP which the Naim Core does not provide as an output. There is some ambiguity over DXD as the Naim specs say their BNC interface is S/Pdif which I think maxes out at 24/192. But they also list capacity as 24/384 which I donāt think is compatible with S/Pdif. Maybe check with them. In any case the dCS component would not accept it via BNC.
These formats may or may not be significant for you.
Pardon me as im a noob in dcs and now im confuse. Does it mean i will not get the good benefits if i continue to use Naim core on the vivaldi n its better for me to get the Rossini instead?
My system is similar to a forum member āDuncā if i recall correctly. My pre n power amp is Naim 500 series DR.
It is actually much straight forward if i go to the ND555 since i also currently already hv 555ps dr. But i just didnt feel the huge difference ND555 made compared to my naim DAC + 555ps dr (i knw alot will blast me for such commentsā¦ ).
It really depends on what you want. If you are happy with PCM files <24/192 then the Naim Core/BNC is fine. However using BNC, DSD files can only be accepted via DoP which the Naim will not support and DXD exceeds the single wire S/Pdif specification. I think that switching from BNC to network connection will allow dCS input of DSD formats.dsf and .dff as well as DoP. I am assuming that the Naim will support .dsf and.dff. Their spec only says DSD 64 and 128 but I doubt that such files would be other than in those formats. BTW, network connection in general offers better SQ than USB should you consider the latter.
If you wanted to go the Vivaldi route then you could use a Network Bridge + dual AES/EBU to provide the connectivity. However I always warn potential purchasers of Vivaldi DAC alone that they will want the system clock sooner or later so should take that into account when financial planning even if it is for the future. To be honest the same consideration applies to the Rossini.
Basically network equipped dCS equipment ( e.g. Rossini) is primarily intended for network connection which delivers all of the media that the dCS box can handle and in the best sound quality. For non-network equipped dCS boxes ( e.g Vivaldi DAC) the input that will deliver all of the hi-res formats that it will handle is dual AES/EBU, again not currently available to you.
BTW, my knowledge of the Core is only obtained from Naimās published specs.
Having said the above this may not be relevant to you in any case if you have no DSD or DXD files. If you have PCM only files not exceeding 24/192 ( and that must cover the majority of available repertoire , I am not counting upsampling activity) then you will still get the benefit of dCSā superior Ring DAC via that BNC connection.
So it is really a case for you to choose your priorities.
Well they certainly dont like the fact you never found the nd555 a massive upgrade over the ndac, on the naim forum.
Like yourself i read all about it, had great expectations for it over my nds, and when i tried it, i was like is that it, the only thing that did raise my eyebrows was the price needed to get this so called upgrade, Ā£10.000 please, errr NO.
Thats when i found the dCS rossini and clock, now that was a massive upgrade, problem solved.
But if i was you, then i would sell the ndac, 555dr power supply and the core.
Buy the rossini and a melco N1, and if you can stretch to it the clock, that will certainly get the system you have singing, then if you feel your speakers are still not right, then look into new ones, as your never going to get out the right sound, if you dont have it in the first place, and as good as the ndac/555ps is, its completely out of its depth when you compare it to the rossini.
The details will just hit you, the sound will be so much wider than what you have now, i think you will be completely bowed over with it, and changing the speakers you have now, will soon be forgotten about.
Anyway thats what i would do, and as normal others will have a different way, especially on the naim forum as nothing beats naim remember
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Agreedā¦had Linn,NDX, HDX, NDS, nDAC and ND555, now Rossini and Clock and Melcoā¦the details, air around tunes, depth and 3D presentation is outstanding! I donāt look back:-)
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Hi,
I had a Ndac before I got the Vivaldi Dacā¦I must say that the Ndac is excellent, thus, difficult to find betterā¦until I tried the Vivaldi Dac 
I heard the Rossini with external clockā¦I also found it better, but the price gap was huge, for an improvement which was niceā¦but I was not 100% happyā¦when I heard the Vivaldi Dac, without external clockā¦what an improvementā¦my son is very happy with the Ndac and a small Naim XS3, it looks good and sounds good for a first stereo 