DCS Rossini APEX has arrived!

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
I am pleased to share that my APEX unit is back and installed in the system. I am shooting a couple of video reviews for the TAS YouTube channel with more details but I can definitely say, with 50 hours on the clock and counting, that this is a major change for an already excellent DAC. Our man in DC Jacob Heilbrunn is evaluating the Vivaldi APEX as well.

Stay tuned for how this compares to the base Rossini.

30B489E2-7492-4642-A7C6-B1FAEE7EB2A3.jpeg
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Making arrangement to try a switch for the streaming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NigelB

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
We are waiting…

Working on a video review this week. But significant improvements in several areas. It’s a more complex story, but I would say that those who found dCS a little too analytical for their tastes will find a more musical, more elevated sound here from the team in Cambridge.
 

mribob

Well-Known Member
May 8, 2017
33
15
88
Agoura, CA
I have recently received Vivaldi Apex upgrade, and glad I did. It extends the quality life of an older Dac to perform at even higher level, with out the cost of upgrading to a new unit. The sound is more organic, sonic density, better instrument separation in space. Happy customer.
shout out to Brian at Audio Elements in Pasadena, who picked up my unit from home, performed upgrade board install in his shop and returned to me- best ever customer service.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
I have recently received Vivaldi Apex upgrade, and glad I did. It extends the quality life of an older Dac to perform at even higher level, with out the cost of upgrading to a new unit. The sound is more organic, sonic density, better instrument separation in space. Happy customer.
shout out to Brian at Audio Elements in Pasadena, who picked up my unit from home, performed upgrade board install in his shop and returned to me- best ever customer service.
Congrats and sounds like also a very easy upgrade service-wise...always good to have a nice experience on that as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Now at 100 hours on the APEX and it is outstanding in every way. I am collecting my thoughts on the sound and will film more on Monday.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Fantastic...look forward to reading your listening notes. Enjoy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee

stevebythebay

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2012
242
119
948
Received my Vivaldi APEX DAC upgrade on Tuesday. All I can say is this is quite a leap. There‘s a wider and more pinpoint soundstage with better timing and dynamics. This thing really swings. Have been playing Roon in radio mode to “burn in” the new analog board.

Every track brings a big smile to my face. It‘s as if I’m hearing every song anew. There’s more depth and detail, with a nearly holographic space for many songs. More air around instruments with greater realism and immersion.

Interestingly, there’s simply more there, there. That leads to the sense that the DAC is delivering more sonic output if the source has it to offer. Consequently I find I’m fiddling with the volume control more than ever. Some albums are far higher or lower than I’d experienced in the past.

And as an additional bonus, the upgrade is delivering a lower noise floor. And I’ve only about 50 hours in.
 
Last edited:

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Received my Vivaldi APEX DAC upgrade on Tuesday. All I can say is this is quite a leap. There‘s a wider and more pinpoint soundstage with better timing and dynamics. This thing really swings. Have been playing Roon in radio mode to “burn in” the new analog board.

Every track brings a big smile to my face. It‘s as if I’m hearing every song anew. There’s more depth and detail, with a nearly holographic space for many songs. More air around instruments with greater realism and immersion.

Interestingly, there’s simply more there, there. That leads to the sense that the DAC is delivering more sonic output if the source has it to offer. Consequently I find I’m fiddling with the volume control more than ever. Some albums are far higher or lower than I’d experienced in the past.

And as an additional bonus, the upgrade is delivering a lower noise floor. And I’ve only about 50 hours in.

It will keep getting better but I also noticed these same improvements. I am at 140 hours using Roon and the dCS Mosaic app to play a long 42 hour playlist from friend Elliot Goldman.
 

stevebythebay

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2012
242
119
948
It will keep getting better but I also noticed these same improvements. I am at 140 hours using Roon and the dCS Mosaic app to play a long 42 hour playlist from friend Elliot Goldman.
I figured it would be about 100 hours to get thermal and electrical stability, with an additional period of what I would call “system level” settling in, which I’ve found particularly true of cabling. With this latter stage I’ve usually experienced even more low level detail and dynamics.

One thing that I’ve had trouble describing with the APEX is an underlying “layering” of sound that goes towards the far more realistic sense of instruments and voices. That along with clearer separation - think spaces between musical elements, much like how the spaces between the notes can stand out. Listening to solo piano or guitar seem to be dead giveaways to this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldmustang and Lee

Jpspock

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2018
135
69
113
58
Dear Steve, very, very interesting comments. I didn’t look before your system and we have some common like the vivaldi clock and cybershaft op21… both of them brought me wider image, more sense of music, and result already above all I expected. So is it possible that Apex brings so much ? I believe you, but then yo must be in heaven.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee

stevebythebay

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2012
242
119
948
As much as Heaven might be, while Earthly bound.
 

Jpspock

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2018
135
69
113
58
So I shall wait when my Rossini will be upgraded. Really curious, it seems to be so enormous…
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
My Vivaldi is now queuing for upgrade, I am keeping my dealer model for a few holiday days. With complete burn-in the sound is really fluid and free from artifacts - IMHO what our mind needs to find it more realistic. A good friend who is a vinyl aficionado come to listen and commented I can now sell the turntable as he found the Vivaldi APEX more analog like. o_O
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Apologies the video review is taking a while to get out. We have been traveling with our video guy in Los Angeles and I still need to shoot the final APEX upgrade part next Monday.

The good news is we have new mics on the way and our interview with Mark Spitz and Jason Lord here in LA went exceptionally well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ashandger

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
I figured it would be about 100 hours to get thermal and electrical stability, with an additional period of what I would call “system level” settling in, which I’ve found particularly true of cabling. With this latter stage I’ve usually experienced even more low level detail and dynamics.

One thing that I’ve had trouble describing with the APEX is an underlying “layering” of sound that goes towards the far more realistic sense of instruments and voices. That along with clearer separation - think spaces between musical elements, much like how the spaces between the notes can stand out. Listening to solo piano or guitar seem to be dead giveaways to this.
Part of this is new Shunyata Omega clock and AES cables that are breaking in as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldmustang

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
My Vivaldi is now queuing for upgrade, I am keeping my dealer model for a few holiday days. With complete burn-in the sound is really fluid and free from artifacts - IMHO what our mind needs to find it more realistic. A good friend who is a vinyl aficionado come to listen and commented I can now sell the turntable as he found the Vivaldi APEX more analog like. o_O
He thought your DCS Vivaldi Apex sounded more analog than your Techdas Airforce 1 Premium? Wow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RHMMMM

JRW1971

Member
Dec 21, 2021
21
34
18
53
Got my Rossini back today, with the Apex upgrade. 100% agree with everyone’s descriptions above. I’m very impressed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldmustang and Lee

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing