DCS Vivaldi
- Thread starter MylesBAstor
- Start date
Upsampler. It will allow you access to more digital filters and sampling rates to tailor the sound to your system.
Portugal
I think it depends on how your system will be configured. If you plan on a USB source being the primary source or a transport which has the capability of accepting a clock signal, than the clock may add value. The up sampler allows you to use the network streamer functionality of the up sampler and provides the ability to feed the DAC with dual AES feeds that I have found to positively impact red book recordings. The up sampler also allows you to use the dCS app for control. I do not have the transport but do have the DAC, clock and up sampler....80% of my listening is using the up sampler network streamer controlled by the dCS app. I have yet to find a combo that surpasses the performance of this system IMO
I think it depends on how your system will be configured. If you plan on a USB source being the primary source or a transport which has the capability of accepting a clock signal, than the clock may add value. The up sampler allows you to use the network streamer functionality of the up sampler and provides the ability to feed the DAC with dual AES feeds that I have found to positively impact red book recordings. The up sampler also allows you to use the dCS app for control. I do not have the transport but do have the DAC, clock and up sampler....80% of my listening is using the up sampler network streamer controlled by the dCS app. I have yet to find a combo that surpasses the performance of this system IMO
Unfortunately all the people who had experience with the complete Vivaldi system told me that a CD played using the dedicated transport sounds significantly better than the ripped file played through a music server. As my digital listening is currently 100% red book, the system becomes too expensive.
I do not have any live experience with the transport (although people whose ears I trust do....and they confirm that the results are amazing). I listen direct from CD about 5% of the time and when I do, I use my CD555 which always delivers so was not interested in investing any more $$$ in silver disc playback. With respect to the Vivalidi stack sans transport, I have tried many combinations and systems and the DAC/clock/Upsampler acting as my streaming player (server is Naim HDX and QNAP 8TB NAS) is the best I have heard....so if you only listen to files, you owe it to yourself to listen to this system and compare to what else is out there. I an extremely happy with the performance on both redbook and highrez.... The DAC itself is probably the majority of the improvement...but adding upsampler than clock did make sense in terms of getting improved results
Congrats!!! Big move!!! How is it simply better? Most curious!! Enjoy the sleepness nights!!!
+1 Love the cables, speakers and the digital front end (even heard 2 of them together Vivaldi/Altairs)...have read great things about the pre/amps as well.
How...first off...dCS Scarlatti had state of the art bass....I swear...the Vivaldi Trans makes the Scarlatti Trans sound fuzzy. Next thing is the precision of the timing and how the images are placed in space...the instrument images are smaller...but in a larger space...so the guitar isn't 6 feet wide...but again...I NEVER noticed that with the Scarlatti..only in comparison...and this is just with a few hours...I am sure I have a lot of break in to go through...
Somehow, that makes sense to me. At least in my own system...images appear to have gotten 'smaller' as my isolation had continued to still vibration. But in reality I got the distinct sense that vibration was causing the system to lose control of keeping the image still...like inaccurate information delivery was creating a broader, more vague vicinity for an instrument. And as the system has tightened, the imagery is now much more defined to a specific location...so the sound image seems smaller when in fact, it is that the instruments now takes a more defined space rather than being a bit all over one larger area.
Well...I thought the Vivaldi DAC and Trans with the Scarlatti clock was just killer good. I reluctantly bought the Vivaldi Clock, might as well have it all match 
I've had the Vivaldi Clock now for 48 hours. And once again the performance takes a pretty good step up. Vs the Scarlatti clock, music is unraveled with more ease, there is better focus/placement of images, it's more powerful-yet more delicate and better resolution all over. I could hear the the change on the first note played...it isn't subtle.
It's been a fun journey to do this one piece at a time. First replacing Scarlatti dac with the Vivaldi dac...then replacing the Scalatti trans...the finally the Scarlatti clock. All else in my system has been constant. As for breaking it felt like the dac took about 2 months...the transport about a month and I don't know about the clock...maybe more will happen since I only have 56 hours of it being on...
I've had the Vivaldi Clock now for 48 hours. And once again the performance takes a pretty good step up. Vs the Scarlatti clock, music is unraveled with more ease, there is better focus/placement of images, it's more powerful-yet more delicate and better resolution all over. I could hear the the change on the first note played...it isn't subtle.
It's been a fun journey to do this one piece at a time. First replacing Scarlatti dac with the Vivaldi dac...then replacing the Scalatti trans...the finally the Scarlatti clock. All else in my system has been constant. As for breaking it felt like the dac took about 2 months...the transport about a month and I don't know about the clock...maybe more will happen since I only have 56 hours of it being on...
Well...I thought the Vivaldi DAC and Trans with the Scarlatti clock was just killer good. I reluctantly bought the Vivaldi Clock, might as well have it all match
I've had the Vivaldi Clock now for 48 hours. And once again the performance takes a pretty good step up. Vs the Scarlatti clock, music is unraveled with more ease, there is better focus/placement of images, it's more powerful-yet more delicate and better resolution all over. I could hear the the change on the first note played...it isn't subtle.
It's been a fun journey to do this one piece at a time. First replacing Scarlatti dac with the Vivaldi dac...then replacing the Scalatti trans...the finally the Scarlatti clock. All else in my system has been constant. As for breaking it felt like the dac took about 2 months...the transport about a month and I don't know about the clock...maybe more will happen since I only have 56 hours of it being on...
Happy listenings with your new DCS combo! I am sure Scarlatti was also a fine gear I guess what you are hearing with Vivaldi must be a significant step ahead. Comparing these 3 (dac, transport, clock) as you put them into your system one by one, which one do you think has made the most dramatic impact? Is it DAC or transport if not clock? I consider Vivaldi transport + dac (dont have space for clock) to replace my EMM Labs XDS1 one box player as a future upgrade path and would appreciate your feedback on Vivaldi upgrade over Scarlatti. Thx.
The Scarlatti is still a killer good set up. Frankly the used prices make this a near steal for the sound quality you get from it. Especially if you use the dual aes mode vs the firewire interface. I'd still put the Scarlatti dac amongst the best anywhere any price.
So I'd rank the Vivaldi DAC is #1. Then it's a little tricky. If your a physical media person...the Transport is next. Then the clock. However if your a big redbook player...you might find the DAC then the upsampler a better route..then use a NAS drive or some sort of other transport. This path also allows the whole works of hi rez downloads.
The Vivaldi DAC+Trans is a powerful combo.
I know a lot of choices here...digital isn't a one size fits all!
The universe is now back in balance...that digital system of yours is now 'RIGHT'. Congrats!!!
Congrats!!!
Well...I thought the Vivaldi DAC and Trans with the Scarlatti clock was just killer good. I reluctantly bought the Vivaldi Clock, might as well have it all match
I've had the Vivaldi Clock now for 48 hours. And once again the performance takes a pretty good step up. Vs the Scarlatti clock, music is unraveled with more ease, there is better focus/placement of images, it's more powerful-yet more delicate and better resolution all over. I could hear the the change on the first note played...it isn't subtle.
It's been a fun journey to do this one piece at a time. First replacing Scarlatti dac with the Vivaldi dac...then replacing the Scalatti trans...the finally the Scarlatti clock. All else in my system has been constant. As for breaking it felt like the dac took about 2 months...the transport about a month and I don't know about the clock...maybe more will happen since I only have 56 hours of it being on...
So I had a friend come by today to listen to my Vivaldi. We did some digital vs vinyl comparisons. We've done this before..the last time when I had the dCS Vivaldi dac but Scarlatti Trans and Clock. We all liked the digital, but the switch to vinyl extended the listening enjoyment.
Well, today was different. We listened to Chet Baker "Chet" the 33 from Acoustic Sounds and the SACD from Acoustic sounds. Presumably both from the master tapes. We then listened to the Wes Montgomery Trio, "a Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums" Again Acoustic Sounds SACD and this time 45 vinyl.
My digital has caught up with my vinyl. One had more sparkle...one had better resolution, the other better decays...the other better depth. These were really fine points only a a/b test could point out the differences. Who knows if the software had different mastering chains (suspect so)
Honestly, this is the first time I have not preferred vinyl 100% to digital. That's quite a statement for those that know me...
Well, today was different. We listened to Chet Baker "Chet" the 33 from Acoustic Sounds and the SACD from Acoustic sounds. Presumably both from the master tapes. We then listened to the Wes Montgomery Trio, "a Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums" Again Acoustic Sounds SACD and this time 45 vinyl.
My digital has caught up with my vinyl. One had more sparkle...one had better resolution, the other better decays...the other better depth. These were really fine points only a a/b test could point out the differences. Who knows if the software had different mastering chains (suspect so)
Honestly, this is the first time I have not preferred vinyl 100% to digital. That's quite a statement for those that know me...
Thats interesting
However i often find this with jazz, that one medium is preferred only ....
Try some classical and see:- be interested in your opinion, it has much greater subtlety of timbre and overlapped timbral density e.g. violin viola cello....trumpet french horn trombone etc....enjoy
However i often find this with jazz, that one medium is preferred only ....
Try some classical and see:- be interested in your opinion, it has much greater subtlety of timbre and overlapped timbral density e.g. violin viola cello....trumpet french horn trombone etc....enjoy
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