When I got a Debussy in ‘23 and Network Bridge shortly thereafter, listening to music became an absolute joy. The improvement in SQ over my previous experience with PS Audio and Audio Research was breathtaking. I am still loving the sound, so maybe I should just stand pat. But if I were to look at upgrading, would a Bartok Apex make a significant improvement? I’ve also recently heard about the Lina DAC X in my newsfeeds. Which would make the most sense? I split my listening between files ripped from cd and streaming from Qobuz using Audirvana Studio connected via ethernet. Either choice would represent a $10k+ investment after trade-in, which for me is a hefty amount to sneak past my wife.
It depends if you can get a trade in at the moment. As noted this evening in another thread here the second hand market is in the doldrums right now and PX may not be attractive to the dealer.
Yes,any change to a current dCS unit will involve an investment of over 10k gbp. So what is your limit as that will decide where you can go?
CD Play is possible but to do this correctly with dCS units requires a player or transport with a word clock output. There are such Chinese transports available at fairly low cost.
The dCS range is designed so that each model upwards provides both measurable and audible improvements. Only you and your wallet can decide what is a reasonable place for you to stop.
I would be willing to spend more, but it would be hard to commit without knowing the degree of improvement. Ideally, I would love being able to compare to my current Debussy/NB combo.
I do not play cd’s anymore. Is there any reason to favor either the Bartox Apex or the Lina DAC X as an upgrade?
Only you would be able to judge the degree of improvement for yourself. Unlikely anyone else’s opinion would work, don’t you think?
There are a couple of threads if you search with posts about how people feel about the Bartok vs. the Lina. You might want to read-up on those.
Interesting. I too upgraded from PS Audio/Audio Research to dCS Rossini/Chord Electronics. A totally new experience which led to me selling my SME turntable and pickup arm.
I cannot comment on what value you might place on any comparison. There will be will be one but the subjective degree of importance to you cannot be predicted by me. Your reaction will depend on you, your expectations, the system that he unit is paired with and even the typical type of music that you listen to. How you judge the improvement versus the significant additional cost will also be down to you.
You really need to go to your nearest dCS dealer and get a demonstration .You might be able to take your Debussy along. The only alternative is for you to buy blind which is not advised if you can avoid this. However I see you quoting $ prices and I appreciate that distances to your nearest dealer in the USA may make this difficult.
I see that an upgrade to Rossini has been mentioned by @Kernel. You have not given any budgetary limitation so this is another alternative though from reading between the lines I think it may be beyond what you are considering.
Again, for me, I always sought gains from my Power amplifiers (especially going from Chord SPM 1050 Stereo, through Chord SPM 1400, Ultima 3 to Ultima 2 Monoblocs. I have no desire to upgrade the Rossini Apex (with clock) it is ‘just the ticket’.
Hi Jerry,
Agree with pretty much all the points here, most importantly the one that only you can decide if the extra $$$ for the Bartók are worth it for you.
IMO:
- Yes, the Bartók APEX is a clear step up in SQ from the Lina DAC X.
- That said, IMO the Lina offers outstanding bang for the buck.
- There are other small differences (e.g. Bartók can have a built in headphone amp, Lina DAC X comes with a remote control) which may sway you one way or the other.
- You may be able to find either Dealer Approved or Certified Pre-Owned** Bartóks at our authorized dealers (or Lina DACs, although Lina DAC X is still too new a model for pre-owned availability), which would reduce the price gap somewhat. If this might be of interest I would say it is definitely worth calling to see what’s available.
** Note that CPO equipment is held in a global pool at the factory and is available to any authorized dealer worldwide to order. It isn’t advertised as the turnover is way too rapid, you need to call and enquire. However this means CPO units are not available for demo, unlike Dealer Approved which the dealers hold in stock locally.
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I agree that many variables factor into one’s judgement of sound quality improvements. I wonder whether my associated equipment would justify or allow a better dCS dac to reveal its potential. Early on in my audio life I experimented with cables that exceeded the price of the connected equipment and I failed to hear any improvement. Over time I learned that associated equipment needs to be of high enough quality to complement the the quality of the component being introduced into the system.
I’m quite happy with the other components in my system, but they by no means approach the price points of gear at the top of the food chain. That being said, I have learned that price point doesn’t necessarily correspond to quality. The acronym YMMV will definitely apply to my possible pursuit of a dCS upgrade.
As mentioned by Pete, taste in music is a significant variable effecting one’s judgement of sound quality of a component. I love a very wide spectrum of musical genre’s and artists, but when I evaluate components, the most essential criterion leading my judgement is the reproduction of acoustic instruments in space, and it was a revelation when I heard how dCS brought this aspect to the forefront for me. The complexity of intstrumental tone, color, and variation, the sense of space, and the emergence of realism in my listening room was breathtaking for me upon introducing the Debussy/Network Bridge into my system.
If an upgrade to the Bartok Apex or Lina X could induce an appreciable lift to that experience for me, that would be most compelling.
Thanks for your advice and recommendations.
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