dCS Bartok as a one box solution

Agree the clock helps. It’s more that you notice it when it’s not there than anything leaping out at you, but musicality does improve.

I ran a Bartok into ATC SCM40a’s and 50a’s without a preamp as a trial for a few weeks for simple system - sounded very good. Ended up going for 552/500 combination with the Rossini/clock, sound is not too shabby.

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How does the mighty Dynaudio confidence compare to the ATC

I have a Bartok on order (eight week wait). Having read this extended thread, I’m wondering if I’ve made the wrong choice, as the Rossini appears to come out on top, especially when you add the clock. Mind you, it should be, as it’s twice the price of the Bartok.

My dealer claims, and so do some members on the dCS Community site…originally when the Bartok was released, it was so close to the Rossini, in terms of spec, that they had to give the Rossini a massive software upgrade?

It’s not that they HAD to give the Rossini a massive software upgrade. This is part of the dCS philosophy - and the way they provide an upgrade path for their products. Naim employ external power supplies - dCS utilize external clocks and software/firmware upgrades to the RING Dac.

Right before the release of the Bartok the Vivaldi received a major upgrade to 2.0 - the Rossini was upgraded to have performance similar to the initial Vivaldi 1.0 - and the Bartok was introduced having performance similar to the Rossini version 1.0.

I ordered a Bartok to use in a stand alone headphone system. My intention was to keep on using my Linn Klimax DS with the 552/500 system. The Bartok impressed me so much that I returned it to the dealer after 1 month and moved up to a Rossini/Master Clock. This dramatically outperformed the Linn - which is now relegated to headphone use.

I cannot imagine a digital source bettering the Rossini/Master Clock…well perhaps the Vivaldi :laughing:

Best
Gregg

Dear @glevethan, İt is so easy to imagine… no it is more than immagination…

ND555 with 2 PS :))

Always a personal perspective, so bear that in mind.

The 40a’s were lovely looking (the fishnets, we called them, cos of the coarse grill) and sounded very nice - good pace, clear mid range, decent treble with no brightness, and ok bass. The 50a’s were uglier but sounded better - midrange even sweeter, with detail, clarity and musicality all clearly there. Treble was again good, bass better - deeper yet more controlled. Nearly did a deal on those, and the decided that in such a price bracket I owed it to myself to trial some others. Cue one trip to a dealer in Kent and two trips to Chester for some listening. Heard Magicos, Kudos (various), other dynaudios, b&w’s, etc.

Unfortunately for me it turns out my wife is much better at assessing speakers than I am, and for some she’d say no way before a few bars had passed - and was right though it took me a few tracks longer, usually.

We didn’t get on with b&w’s as they are too bright for us - I can see that if you like that detail in the high end they may suit you, and looking like a Darlek is a positive, but not for us. Magico’s (various) not for us either - found them too bass and loose. Again I know others have chosen them and might disagree - and I don’t dispute that they may well be best for them just not for us. Confidence 50’s were the last to be tried, and were excellent in the shop. Clearly a step up. Went back to the Kudos then back to the Confidence’s - they have controlled responses, are fun to listen to, superb treble with all the detail you could want without making your ears bleed. Musicians leap out of them - one of the interesting things is that from the room next door, they get closest to you thinking there’s a band next door.

We did try the Confidence 40s which are a bit smaller but the 50s seem the sweet spot in the range - they are more, but you get more, too, and if you have the space they are great (room is 6x5m, vaulted ceiling). They have run in now in our room, and are sounding better and better (though some of the other kits hasn’t yet (552…). Need to get the curtains back up for optimal sound, but it’s lovely. Sitting here with ‘Letter to You’ on quite loud.

There are some similarities to the sound of the 50a’s - its musical, it’s clear, it’s not fatiguing to listen to, and works at a range of volumes. It offers just a a bit more in everything, really. I like the looks, and whilst tall they are slim and fit with the room. Modern compared to the ATC design. ATC matches it in mid-range, or gets close, but loses out top and bottom.

If we’d decided to stick to the budget, then the Bartok into 40a’s would be a great system, and could be later upgraded with a preamp. We decided to blow it as we could clearly hear the upgrades.

One other observation - mostly demonstrated to me by my wife (who is now into hi-fi, thankfully) - it’s important to go and listen to the music, not to the hi-fi. You can tell yourself all sorts of stories and try to be overly analytical, and whilst there’a place for that, a good system will sing to you right away and you’ll have a pretty good idea.

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Hi

Gregg has already explained i feel, but dont be put off, the Bartok is a great streamer/ dac, and one that will only get better, as for certain it will get a software upgrade soon, it will never be a rossini, as a rossini will never be an vivaldi, but at the price it can easily hold its own. I preferred the Bartok over a nd555, but the rossini and clock was just all together in a different league and was simply the best digital source i had ever had the privilege to listen too, and i tried loads, when i was looking for a NDS x twin supplies successor.
So dont worry, get the Bartok and enjoy it

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@Dunc is right - the Bartok is great. If you can afford a Rossini, then it’s an uplift, but there’s not much to touch the Bartok at all, and even less at its price point.

The great thing about the dCS architecture is that it can be updated much more easily and so should have much greater longevity than many others. I much preferred it over the Naim kit and I’m a lifelong Naim owner…

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Phew!..Thank you :+1:

Thanks @xcentric :+1:

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I thought I would add my tuppence to the above. Paul from HiFi Lounge was kind enough to lend me the Bartok for a week and I demmed this against my NDX2+555PS DR. Pre was an ARC 5SE (tube), power was an ARC 150SE (tube) and speakers were Wilson Audio Sabrinas. I also had a Chord SPM 1200 Mk 2 (solid state) power to hand to throw into the mix, though I will be moving this on in the new year for a solid state power amp that is more neutral.

I have to say I found the two streaming units to be remarkably similar in terms of performance level. I found the Bartok was not better than the Naim or vice versa - they were both equally good but had very slightly different presentation in terms of music reproduction.

Direct back to back A/B caparisoning was made easy by the availability of Chord Signature RCA and XLR interconnects and the two different streaming apps, such that I just had to change input on the pre-amp to be able to compare exactly the same song. I was careful to match output volume levels on both devices.

The easiest way to summarise my listening sessions were that the Naim sounded more dynamic to my ears, while the Bartok (and we’re splitting hairs here) was ever so slightly more laid back but fuller sounding. In terms of personal preference and how I prefer the music to be presented, I found the Bartok suited the tube pre and solid state power, while the Naim better suited the tube pre+power combination. The NDX2+555PS DR will stay in my system for now as I I do most of my ‘critical’ listening with the tube pre+power combination.

I thought it worth mentioning the addition of the 555PS DR elevated the performance of the NDX2 by 50-75% in my system. Without this the streamer on it’s own sounded thin and lacked body in the sound. The upgrade of the power supply was quite a revelation as I was not expecting such a vast improvement to the overall sound for the outlay - especially when a 555PS DR can be picked up used for about £4.5k.

One clear win for the dCS camp was the app which was much more stable than the Naim one. Looking forward to trying a ND555 and Rossini at some point next year to see how these two compare.

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Thanks for such an excellent summary. Price point, they are roughly equal. So not a totally unexpected result.

Good to hear that. Someone here found the Bartok on the same league as Nd555. Time to put things into order.

Yes i did, as i think i made it quite clear the nd555 has never done anything for me.

The nds, the ndx2 both sound very similar to me and the nd555 is not miles ahead of them.
Its good that it takes a £7500 power supply on the already over £5000 ndxs to equal the Bartok

I’ve had my Bartók three weeks now…stunning sound! :+1:

I had a Bartok here for one month and found its performance to be a 95 compared to my Linn Klimax DS at 100. Considering the Bartok costs $15k vs. my Linn at $24k I found that quite impressive. Enough to give the Bartok back and change to a Rossini/Master Clock. It is end game for me.
There are now a number of Naim owners running Rossini’s as their front end.

Best
Gregg

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Where are all these Naim users with DCS front end ? I see only you and Dunc with a Rossini instead of Nd555, on the present forum.
On DCS forum, I could find only you two.
A bit sad that all these DCS members are not sharing on forums. Or maybe it’s a dealer information…that we can not really trust, if his goal is to sell DCS.

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I am another Naim user with Rossini and Clock.
Sometimes we might choose to be selective in what we share if there’s nothing to add.

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Whouah, you fall from the skies ! First time I read a post from you. You are 3 now.
Enjoy your great system and happy Christmas.

Just the Rossini - me, Dunc, Ampwat, MagicBus (6 weeks ago)
Bartok - SolwiseSteve, previous poster, and 1 or 2 others I cannot remember
As per AudioBarn (a large dCS dealer) - another 1/2 a dozen ex Naim users who are not in the forum.

Enough for you? I have a feeling you are not a dCS fan - as you have let us know
Happy Holidays

PS
And add as well DJM and T38 from this thread
There are also quite a few Naim posters on the dCS forum who do not post here
Watch out - we are like the plague and taking over :smile:

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