Erno, just considering Bartók HP and network sources only, would you still consider the Rossini clock as a worthwhile addition, notwithstanding any future upgrades beyond that?
Hi Andre,
Very much so. I remember my Bartók, without and with the Rossini clock. Once with the clock, switching it off during music play, the complete soundstage collapsed. I would not want to be without it anymore.
I agree with Erno — I was enjoying a Rossini Clock with my Bartok last night. Big difference to my ears. If you spot your money looking at a Clock funny, don’t do toooooo much to dissuade it 
BUT…I think some of us are more sensitive to clocking than others, and some would prefer a DAC upgrade. I’m in the “Clock” camp, though. Or the “Both” camp, if possible!
I’m looking forward to trying a clock with my Bartok at some point so I find these observations very interesting and useful.
As a recent purchaser of a Bartok, I too can vouch for the addition of a clock. I’ve added a Vivaldi clock (it can up in an auction), and have to say the SQ difference between with and without is very obvious to my ears.
As others have said before me, much of the difference with the clock is heard in the acoustics of the room the recording was made, but there is also a noticeable improvement (I feel) in the SQ.
While I never got to listen to my Bartok with the clock, it makes a profound difference to my Rossini and I have little doubt the same applies to the Bartok too. My dealer suggested this would be their first upgrade before moving to the Rossini.
I’d go for it, but there’s no harm in getting a demo first!
Agree with Jeremy and the other assessments here. When I demo’ed Bartok, a Rossini clock added to the Bartok made an audible difference. But not as much as a Rossini itself, let alone with the Clock.
Can you use 2 Puccini clocks, one set at 44.1K and connected to WCK1 of the Bartok and a second Puccini or Verona clock set at 48K to wck2 of the Bartok and set as AutoWCK
Would this configuration address the need for manual switching?
It might br feasible but an answer depends on the automatic switching architecture. Does Bartok merely sense the incoming data and switch between wordclock inputs 1 or 2 or is there any feedback to the clock and to these vintage ones?
The wordclock units offer clock distribution for synchronisation in dCS multibox systems. Otherwise their role is to provide a better environment for the crystal. In your context the crystals used 20 years ago may not be equal to he modern one in Bartok. I don’t know.
Finding a pair of Verona or Paganini clocks may be a task in its own right. It is also possible that these will require recalibration ( which requires a return to factory ). The calibration is held in memory but this is powered by battery and it is likley, given the date of manufacture, that by now the battery would be exhausted and , if so, calibration is lost.
Well I already have a Verona clock and was contemplating picking up a Puccini U clock that just came up for sale for a reasonable price. So I was tempted but did not want to move forward until I was reasonably sure. Currently I use the Verona on WCK1 and if it is set at 44.1K and I play a 96K file the Bartok automatically switches to the internal clock and when I manually set the Verona to 48K it reverts back to the external clock so it seems the Bartok senses the data stream and switches between the internal and WCK 1. Now if I feed the WCK 2 input via the puccini u clock which I may get will it switch between WCK 1 and 2 based on the data stream. Isn’t that how the Rossini or Vivaldi are configured?
Yes it would work. Clock signal flows on the dCS portfolio are all unidirectional. There’s no two-way communication.
The only “exception” to this is the RS232 link cable between the R/B/L and their associated Clocks to support automated power on.
Whether there’s a sonic benefit from using such Clocks is a different question.
In other words: the accuracy of the Bartok internal clock may exceed the accuracy of the Puccini and Verona clocks, especially given their ages, thereby obviating the utility of their addition.
(Odd: the Discourse dictionary doesn’t recognize the English verb, to obviate… Hmmpf).
few years ago I compared Bartok driven by Scarlatti, Paganini and Vivaldi clocks, Each sounded different. So using a different clock for each frequency base does not seem to be a good idea.
The wordclocks have developed over the years and different generations are not the same thing in different boxes.
I can’t add anything regarding clocks. However, on a shelf in my office I have a friend’s copy of the compact edition of the OED, the one that comes with a magnifying glass. First use of the verb to obviate was sometime between 1600 and 1610: “As on the way I Itinerated, A Rurall person I Obviated, Interogating times Transitation.” The later examples of usage are much clearer (I have no idea what the last part of that sentence means!).
I hope I get a prize for least relevant post.
Simon, I’d be happy to know what any of that sentence means!
Maybe your mate could also get a prize for ownership of the smallest dictionary mentioned on an audio forum in January 2026 
Ben (plainly not in charge of prizes around here)