DCS Vivaldi

[Enatai252]

Good news for those in Pacific NW. Definitive is now an official dealer for dCS. I believe the Rossini CD player is now on demo at the Seattle store

 

[sonrock]

Dear Sirs

After a short listening to the mega expensive system which includes Naim statement, Alexia speakers + 4 boxes Vivaldi - have no idea about cables - and I have to say I had confusing experiences with the new software version 2.0.

First of all, as my listening position was not ideal, a huge man sitting in front of me blocked the right speaker so that I could only listen to one on the left and had no soundstage + images whatsoever. I was listening as the mono mode .

Secondly, the recording engineer was using redbook CDs only to demonstrate the old and new versions of the software but not SACD CDs. It was hardly for me to notice a clear difference between those two versions. It seems the upgraded software make the sound a little bit cleaner and more transparent, but bass is not much better - probably because of where I sat.

Thirdly, this was the first time I heard the Alexia sounds that good. Previous experiences gave me very poor impressions about them although I know they are highly regarded and respected by many audiophiles worldwide.Nevertheless, the track from Yellow has blown me and everyone away despite it was being played via an ipad and streamed online. The dynamic and details are superb.

Finally, when I had an opportunity to swap to a better listening position - the sweet spot, they didn't do the A-B comparison anymore although eventually they did play a track from a SACD CD - that was absolutely fantastic. That's a pity when the audiences didn't have a chance to see how much more superior the version 2.0 than the original version in terms of DSD playback.

There were 45 audiences at KJ and we were divided into 2 groups for 2 different listening sessions. I was in the first group so have no ideas what demonstration the second group had on the day.

I was invited to try to Vivaldi at home months ago but unfortunately I still can't find time for this privilege. But I hope I will be able to do it soon and have a better report to you Sirs about these wonderful boxes. Honestly, they are the only digital front end I want to upgrade compared to the other fancy boxes which have been reported by many here.

 

[sonrock]

 

[joeling]

This V2 update made a world of difference for me.

 

[sonrock]

what a system that you have Sir, a dream of many people including myself. I am just wondering about your speakers, you must love them so much then not replacing them by others!!! Compared to your electronics gear, the speakers seem the modest in your system.

Regarding the vivaldi 2.0, I must listen to them in my system in order to give precise verdict about the upgrade. But in my very opinion, if the v2.0 is much more superior than the original version, regardless of system and environment + music etc., the differences must be clearly heard and noticed. With all respect Sir, it didn't apply with my experiences at the KJ.

 

[Al M.]

what a system that you have Sir, a dream of many people including myself. I am just wondering about your speakers, you must love them so much then not replacing them by others!!! Compared to your electronics gear, the speakers seem the modest in your system.

What an odd comment about speakers that cost $ 43K.

 

[ack]

Yeah that comment didn't read quite well...

 

[sonrock]

I'm sorry Sirs as English is my second language and I might not express my thoughts as clearly as I wanted to. But I am living in the UK and looking at his system, the speakers are truly the modest compared to all the rest. The Naim statement itself cost you 160k gbp here (I and my old friend were told at KJ when asking about the 3 boxes price), Vivaldi 4 boxes ~ 70k gbp, Mephisto stereo 45k gbp, the Proac Carbon Pro 8 ~ 26k gbp. So that what I think about his system Sir.

With a mega system like his, people normally use mega speakers as well, that's normality for an ultra highend system. I have no disrespect about the Pro 8 as I know they are wonderful speakers, but as I said

 

[ack]

That's fine, and I hope you will agree that there a lot of mega-buck speakers that aren't worth their asking price by any stretch of the imagination... At the same time, ProAc's are known to be high value speakers.

 

[sonrock]

I also can't agree more with you about some speakers which are priced very high but not their quality. However, in his system level, I see people normally use something like rockport arrakis, magico q7, big Tidal or Wilson speakers etc. to match with the electronics.

I did have opportunities to listen to some truly wonderful systems and most of them, speakers are the most expensive equipment. That's why I said he must love the Proac Carbon 8 so much that he doesn't bother anything else. I have no doubt that he can bring home any speakers he wants Sir.

 

[Al M.]

I also can't agree more with you about some speakers which are priced very high but not their quality. However, in his system level, I see people normally use something like rockport arrakis, magico q7, big Tidal or Wilson speakers etc. to match with the electronics.

I did have opportunities to listen to some truly wonderful systems and most of them, speakers are the most expensive equipment. That's why I said he must love the Proac Carbon 8 so much that he doesn't bother anything else. I have no doubt that he can bring home any speakers he wants Sir.

There are different opinions out there as to whether the source is the most important component, the amps or the speakers, with prices roughly matched accordingly. In my own case, with a modest system, the speakers are the least expensive component.

My current speakers (not yet posted on my system thread) are $ 3K, and my current CD playback is $ 7.5K. As the next upgrade I have planned a dCS Rossini Player for $ 28K, playing through, oh horror, my current speakers (well, throw in the sub for $ 2K in as well). You may laugh, but it makes complete sense to me. Even when it comes to upgrading speakers in the future, on my wishlist is one that costs no more than $ 12K.

So in the system discussed, the price of the ProAc speakers looks not at all strange to me.

 

[joeling]

sonrock,

Your reaction is perfectly normal. So many of my friends also asked me the same thing. ProAc ended my 10 year search for a better speaker to replace my DIY full range 5-6 years ago. My forst ProAc was a lower model in the range & a couple of years ago I went for this pair. I like ProAc's presentation. Not perfect but near perfect for my taste.

Anyway, this is a Vivaldi thread.

For me, the V2 update is a game changer. Not subtle by any stretch of imagination. It's like a new component.

Very happy with it.

Bests the Esoteric Grandioso with G01 clock.

 

[Argonaut]

and my current CD playback is $ 7.5K. As the next upgrade I have planned a dCS Rossini Player for $ 28K,

Al....Have you experienced either an Lampizator Big7 or Golden Gate DAC before formulating your intended plan?

 

[Al M.]

Al....Have you experienced either an Lampizator Big7 or Golden Gate DAC before formulating your intended plan?

I have heard the Big7, it was very good. There have been debates if it was under optimal circumstances *), but regardless, especially on Redbook CD the dCS Rossini and Vivaldi are so far ahead of any other digital playback I have heard that my mind is made up in favor of dCS.

Also, there are entire threads on tube rolling for the Lampi DACs. Tube rolling is the last thing I want to do, bad for my OCD.

__________

*) Upsampling to DSD was with JRiver instead of HQPlayer, but I have heard HQPlayer on another DAC, and it is obvious to me that its algorithms are inferior to the dCS processing, regardless of bold claims that others have been making.

 

[Argonaut]

Hmmmm....Perhaps just enough to deter the " If only you had immersed yourself in the glory that is the Lampizator experience! before buying that DCS tat" inevitable

For my part I am slowly tho steadily toiling through the burn in hours required of my new mono blocks, that are yet to fully stabilise onto an end state audio plateau, one very good reason why I would never pronounce upon any gears, particularly ARC, without knowledge of the run time hours under the hood.

When I eventually reach those Sunlit Audio Plains, and am confident in the system as a stable environment, my intention is to evaluate both the DCS Rossini/ Vivaldi and Lampizator GG on home demo.

 

[bonzo75]

I have heard the Big7, it was very good. There have been debates if it was under optimal circumstances *), but regardless, especially on Redbook CD the dCS Rossini and Vivaldi are so far ahead of any other digital playback I have heard that my mind is made up in favor of dCS.

Also, there are entire threads on tube rolling for the Lampi DACs. Tube rolling is the last thing I want to do, bad for my OCD.

__________

*) Upsampling to DSD was with JRiver instead of HQPlayer, but I have heard HQPlayer on another DAC, and it is obvious to me that its algorithms are inferior to the dCS processing, regardless of bold claims that others have been making.

You are forgetting that it was with a jriver setting that was keeping the bass weak - anyway I have heard dCS multiple times and nowhere close to my ears. You don't have to do tube rolling, either. That is an option. Kind of like saying do you want AR or VTL preamp. Or Krell or Mark Levinson. You could do with either depending on your tastes, all options will give you a decent sound, just that tubes are much easier and cheaper to switch than amps and speakers so people do it more frequently

Mike L does not tube roll much and uses jriver.

 

[Al M.]

You are forgetting that it was with a jriver setting that was keeping the bass weak - anyway I have heard dCS multiple times and nowhere close to my ears. You don't have to do tube rolling, either. That is an option. Kind of like saying do you want AR or VTL preamp. Or Krell or Mark Levinson. You could do with either depending on your tastes, all options will give you a decent sound, just that tubes are much easier and cheaper to switch than amps and speakers so people do it more frequently

Yeah, I know your opinion on dCS, and you know mine. Let's move on.

And by the way, I listened to stuff other than bass to come to my conclusions relative to the gear items in question. So if the JRiver setting was suboptimal for that, it's pretty much irrelevant.

 

[bonzo75]

Yeah, I know your opinion on dCS, and you know mine. Let's move on.

And by the way, I listened to stuff other than bass to come to my conclusions relative to the gear items in question. So if the JRiver setting was suboptimal for that, it's pretty much irrelevant.

So, you can listen to a dac with bass not performing properly, and you think this is reflected only in bass? Wow

 

[Al M.]

So, you can listen to a dac with bass not performing properly, and you think this is reflected only in bass? Wow

Regardless, even if JRiver was suboptimal, HQPlayer has its problems obvious to me. And the Lampi gear cannot make miracles out of a suboptimal input. Case closed.

At least on Redbook PCM, which is all I care about, because that's where all the music is. I listen to music first, gear second.

 

[bonzo75]

Regardless, even if JRiver was suboptimal, HQPlayer has its problems obvious to me. And the Lampi gear cannot make miracles out of a suboptimal input. Case closed.

At least on Redbook PCM, which is all I care about, because that's where all the music is. I listen to music first, gear second.

I still don't think you get the point. This is not about jriver vs HQP upsampling. We are not talking about upsampling. The problem was, jriver was set mistakenly in such a fashion, that it affected the bass going into the Lampi, which Ian realized when he put back the MSB.

Now, Lampi PCM is better than dCS PCM, and the reason for Lampi being good is the DHT valve technology, not the DSD. The fact that DSD is better than PCM is a moot point in this case.