DCS Vivaldi

[jfrech]

A relevant aspect of the DCS Vivaldi playback is the way it brings the acoustics of the recording in your room, replacing the feeling of space that we are used to perceive in the room.

With many recordings (but not all of them) when it starts playing I can not avoid a feeling of surprise - it seems that the sound is not coming from my usual speakers and system, the sound seems much more solid in a different venue. After some seconds I get used until next recording ...

Although this happened sometimes with previous players, the frequency and intensity of this effect is now much greater.


Just interrupted the listening of Debussy "La Mer" (BSO, C. Munch, XRCD2) to write this post.

I have agree with you here. And very well put. The Vivaldi seems to morph your listening room into the venue where the recording was done. You focus less on the "sound quality" and more on the "musical engagement and enjoyment"

I'm listening to Art Tatum/Ben Webster quartet on Phoenix Records. Recorded on 9/11/56. Pretty sure this is a mono recording-but the sense of space is amazing. Sax out front...drums way in the back...Piano/Cello in the middle. It's redbook cd i'm up sampling to DSDx2 Filter 5.

 

[MadFloyd]

You guys are killing me.

 

[Al M.]

You guys are killing me.

Ian,

you may not want to spend the money on a Vivaldi stack (I wouldn't want to either, but it must be incredibly good), but I told you multiple times that you should get a dCS Rossini. A lot (though perhaps not all) of other stuff may be just a half-hearted solution.

 

[number95]

My Vivaldi clock will arrive shortly. I am curious to hear what it improves for Vivaldi system. Btw, I recently separated transport and dac to their dedicated shelves from a stacked position. The improvements in sonics are audible.

 

[Kingsrule]

Having just gone thru a Rossini to Vivaldi transition, Rossini is like a pair mid fi speakers, nice (think B&W)

Vivaldi is like have the best speakers....XLF, Magico M, etc. There really is no comparison. Weight, body, dimension

Using Vivaldi Upsampler as a Roon end point, the results are truly special...

Like others have said, the only downside to dCS is their app...it's terrible.

 

[Argonaut]

Having just gone thru a Rossini to Vivaldi transition, Rossini is like a pair mid fi speakers, nice (think B&W)

Vivaldi is like have the best speakers....XLF, Magico M, etc. There really is no comparison. Weight, body, dimension

Using Vivaldi Upsampler as a Roon end point, the results are truly special...

Like others have said, the only downside to dCS is their app...it's terrible.

Really! Yours being the first comment that I have read opining such a wide gulf between the two.

 

[microstrip]

Having just gone thru a Rossini to Vivaldi transition, Rossini is like a pair mid fi speakers, nice (think B&W)

Vivaldi is like have the best speakers....XLF, Magico M, etc. There really is no comparison. Weight, body, dimension

Using Vivaldi Upsampler as a Roon end point, the results are truly special...

Like others have said, the only downside to dCS is their app...it's terrible.

I would not call B&W mid-fi. Their Nautilus, the Silver Signature 25 or the 800 diamond are true high-end (just referring to those I have significant experience). Any of them will build a great system with a dCS Vivaldi!

Depending on user preference the gap between the Rossini and the Vivaldi can be small or enormous. For example, if you listen mainly to acoustical music and are looking for cues and nuance to create a "I have being there" feeling, you will love the Vivaldi.

 

[MadFloyd]

Ian,

you may not want to spend the money on a Vivaldi stack (I wouldn't want to either, but it must be incredibly good), but I told you multiple times that you should get a dCS Rossini. A lot (though perhaps not all) of other stuff may be just a half-hearted solution.

Just because someone tells you something multiple times doesn't make it the right choice. I haven't heard the Rossini and while it's nowhere near the cost of the Vivaldi it's still very expensive and digital is still evolving. Besides, how is it that the Rossini isn't a half-hearted solution?

 

[MadFloyd]

I would not call B&W mid-fi. Their Nautilus, the Silver Signature 25 or the 800 diamond are true high-end (just referring to those I have significant experience). Any of them will build a great system with a dCS Vivaldi!

Depending on user preference the gap between the Rossini and the Vivaldi can be small or enormous. For example, if you listen mainly to acoustical music and are looking for cues and nuance to create a "I have being there" feeling, you will love the Vivaldi.

Are you saying you've compared the two and that spatial cues were not well presented on the Rossini?

 

[Al M.]

Just because someone tells you something multiple times doesn't make it the right choice. I haven't heard the Rossini and while it's nowhere near the cost of the Vivaldi it's still very expensive and digital is still evolving.

In my view what I said was just a logical reaction to your statement "You guys are killing me". It is obvious you think about dCS gear. You should find a way to audition it. I agree, you have to hear things with your own ears and not go by what others, who can only provide suggestions, are saying.

Besides, how is it that the Rossini isn't a half-hearted solution?

Here you may have a point. But I doubt that any of the other options you have pondered thus far are the solution. And yes, I do think that the improvements of the recent dCS gear over other digital that I have heard are not incremental at all. Of course digital is still evolving, but this is digital in another league imo.

 

[microstrip]

Are you saying you've compared the two and that spatial cues were not well presented on the Rossini?

My experience with the Rossini is much more recent and reduced than with the Vivaldi - I never listened to it in my system. Along years, several of the times I listened to the Vivaldi I immediately found it was something special. The Rossini sounded very good, but did not have immediately appeal of the extraordinary qualities I found in the Vivaldi. Probably the Rossini will need more tweaking and more care in the matching. Putting it straight - considering just CD playback I would not change my Metronome system (Calypso Reference and C2A) for the Rossini, the Vivaldi full stack easily surpasses it. All IMHO, YMMV.

 

[MadFloyd]

My experience with the Rossini is much more recent and reduced than with the Vivaldi - I never listened to it in my system. Along years, several of the times I listened to the Vivaldi I immediately found it was something special. The Rossini sounded very good, but did not have immediately appeal of the extraordinary qualities I found in the Vivaldi. Probably the Rossini will need more tweaking and more care in the matching. Putting it straight - considering just CD playback I would not change my Metronome system (Calypso Reference and C2A) for the Rossini, the Vivaldi full stack easily surpasses it. All IMHO, YMMV.

Thanks for the reply. The times I have heard the Vivaldi I've been very impressed with its spatial presentation. If the Rossini wasn't close in that respect I would stick with my current DAC.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

reading some about the dCS Vivaldi and Rossini but not wanting to read all 612 posts in this thread. are there plans for dsd Quad/dsd256 or 512 (or higher) for the Vivaldi/Rossini?

the dCS website only mentions dsd128.

 

[jfrech]

Are you saying you've compared the two and that spatial cues were not well presented on the Rossini?

I have heard the 2 side by side - same system, same cabling, same rack. etc. At my dealer. He has a Rossini player (clocked off of the Vivaldi clock) next to a Vivaldi DAC, Clock and Transport.

When you listen to the Rossini, it's magical, wonderful. You're happy. Then the Vivaldi...kingsrule said it right...weight, body and dimension improve. It's hard to go back...

My advice, listen to the Rossini. If you like it buy it. If you compare it...and can afford it, you'll go the Vivaldi path...

 

[bonzo75]

My advice, listen to the Rossini. If you like it buy it. If you compare it...and can afford it, you'll go the Vivaldi path...

Audiophiles eventually upgrade, especially with electronics

 

[Al M.]

Audiophiles eventually upgrade, especially with electronics

But according to you, spending on DACs above $ 10K makes no meaningful difference...because digital allegedly is intrinsically flawed and can't compete with analog anyway. Or did I get this wrong?

 

[bonzo75]

But according to you, spending on DACs above $ 10K makes no meaningful difference...because digital allegedly is intrinsically flawed and can't compete with analog anyway. Or did I get this wrong?

Completely different point. I was talking about upgrading within a line. From ARC ref 3 to ref 5 to ref 10, from example. If someone like madFloyd buys a Rossini and likes it, he will eventually buy the vivaldi, so might as well listen to the vivaldi

 

[jfrech]

reading some about the dCS Vivaldi and Rossini but not wanting to read all 612 posts in this thread. are there plans for dsd Quad/dsd256 or 512 (or higher) for the Vivaldi/Rossini?

the dCS website only mentions dsd128.

I'll ask my dealer. I am not aware of a "announced" plan...but the makes logical sense they'd go here next...stay tuned

 

[microstrip]

reading some about the dCS Vivaldi and Rossini but not wanting to read all 612 posts in this thread. are there plans for dsd Quad/dsd256 or 512 (or higher) for the Vivaldi/Rossini?

the dCS website only mentions dsd128.

They will probably give the same answer that they have given a few years ago about DSD128:

(please note it is taken from their old FAQ - it is not true any more, the current Vivaldi plays DSD128! )

FAQ: Are your products compatible with DSD/128 files?

At the time of writing, dCS products do not support DSD/128 (1 bit data at 5.6448MS/s). We may reconsider this position if and when there is an appreciable amount of music available for download in this format.

Anyway, the DCS people will come to our distributor at the beginning of November - I will surely ask them.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I'll ask my dealer. I am not aware of a "announced" plan...but the makes logical sense they'd go here next...stay tuned

They will probably give the same answer that they have given a few years ago about DSD128:

(please note it is taken from their old FAQ - it is not true any more, the current Vivaldi plays DSD128! )

FAQ: Are your products compatible with DSD/128 files?

At the time of writing, dCS products do not support DSD/128 (1 bit data at 5.6448MS/s). We may reconsider this position if and when there is an appreciable amount of music available for download in this format.

Anyway, the DCS people will come to our distributor at the beginning of November - I will surely ask them.

thanks Guys. i'll watch for more info.