Sub 5 grand DACs

Just finished Led Zep 4, 2014 IV Deluxe Edition (Remastered) - 96K download. The imagery, neutrality, and detail simply continue to amaze. I’m noticing this particularly in the upper half of the range. Cymbals, acoustic guitar, vocals are really very good indeed. I had tears in my eyes and the end of ‘stairway to heaven’ - it was that good. Going back to TB, the glockenspiel was excellent as were the tubular bells; you could hear all of the harmonics on the 'bells. If anything I’d say the upper bass is a little subdued compared to the outgoing ndx but lower bass is still there unchanged. However, I feel the sound is more balanced with equal weight across the whole range; there are no enhanced sections of the frequency range. So upper bass down a little but there’s buckets of extra detail and transparency at the upper ranges. Some people might say it’s a little clinical but I’m perfectly happy.

Now I can’t say how an NDX2 would compare but I kept hearing how you really needed to add an XPS power supply to bring the ndx2 out of it’s shell and then we’d have been at c. the same price as the bartok and, tbh, I think I’m going off the idea of needing to add external power supplies to bring out the best in equipment. Plus SWMBO simply loves the look of the bartok… she’s twice commented, in the last few days, how classy and sexy the bartok looks compared to the somber black of the naim products.

2 Likes

Hi Steve

Have you tried your Bartok direct to your power amps yet? I seem to recall you said you were going to try this.

Roger

Nope… tbh I’ve been struggling with getting the time to fit any ‘proper’ listening in. I want to get a good assessment using my CA2 pre-amp before I try power amps direct. Might end up being christmas!

Another plus btw…

The remote for the ATC amps also works on the bartock. Well all the important functions anyway e.g. on/off, next/prev. track, mute, etc…

Two sources that are totally biased as their incomes depend on promoting the DAC.

A Bartok will never have the same clarity and power as a good Naim streamer with a 555DR on it.

How do you come to that conclusion Jim ?

4 Likes

I owned the Benchmark DAC 2 HGC for several years. Build quality and SQ were top notch. If I were in the market today for a DAC, the Benchmark DAC 3 HGC would be at the top of my list - in fact I would probably not even have a list and just buy it! My decision to downsize to a Muso-2 was strictly a lifestyle choice.

1 Like

Steve you sound happy to have been swayed by the reviews and the dealer :laughing: totally biased views don’t mean your ears are wrong :roll_eyes:

1 Like

Because Jim is convinced that the best sound can be only obtained with external power supply.
DCS, Chord, Linn, use internal ps with great effects. And even no hum.

5 Likes

Er, well I bought a dCS Network Bridge, and in my opinion it added about as much to SQ as a half decent Cisco switch.

I bought a dCS Debussy, which is the forerunner to the Bartok, and that was very detailed in terms of accurate repro of bits, but musically utterly sterile.

Then I bought a Naim 555DR.

Holy Mackerel!

I recently saw two reviews of the Bartok, by Guttenburg and Darko, iirc.

I was interested that both them only reviewed it as a headphone dac.

Now why was that?

If it’s such a great dac, why did neither of them put it in their main system and delight in the amazing sounds that issue forth from it through their power amps and speakers?

They didn’t feel moved to try that for some reason.

And yes, when you get the psu out of a dac and add an extremely beefy external psu, special things happen.

That’s why I said I don’t think you’ll ever get from a Bartok the clarity (from removing the source of em noise) or the power (from adding a source of targeted electrical irrigation) that you get from a Naim DAC and external psu.

But no, I’ve not done a comparison in my system so I’m merely speculating.

But my experience of falling for the Stereophile/Absolute Sound etc rave reviews of dCS gear have indeed added a pinch of salt to the attention I pay to what professional reviewers say.

But, Bartok, the composer, now that’s a different story…

1 Like

JimDog, I don’t understand the point of your post. Steve has purchased a Bartok and by all accounts is delighted with his new box and you simply have to come along and rain on his parade. This forum can be a great place for friendly advice and encouragement. But some folk seem unable to enjoy their setup without knocking those who choose differently, apparently unable to accept that preferences differ. Sad …

Steve and Jim, I hope you both have a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas with your new streamers.

Roger

Roger

4 Likes

But as long as he loves the sound of it, then all is well.

But, Roger, if one cannot make any critical comments on the different ways companies make hifi equipment we may as well not bother having a forum, just buy a bot that tells us how great everything is.

Finally, Roger, the point of my post is addressed not just to Steve who made his own mind up, but more to others who will also read this thread who are considering whether to get a dCS bridge or dac vs a Naim dac, who may wish to factor in my experience of trying dCS which was suboptimal.

All three have superb SMPSs that are wonderfully quiet.
No more noisy LPS with built in bumble bees.
I’m not familiar with dCS sound, but will have a listen out of curiosity.
I am interested in dCS bridge to feed my Chord system, but it’ll have to wait a while.
Chord DACs and Linn streamers are superb musical devices and I’m sure the dCS is too.
I like Naim kit, of course, but fell out with the external PSs as the buzz killed my enjoyment.
I pay no attention to subjective reviews as I listen to my system not reviewers.
However, to read Steve is delighted with his DAC is excellent.
Enjoy the music

2 Likes

so that’s a seven grand power supply! Come on now. The bartok was 9K. 5 grand NDX2 plus 7 grand power supply… so three grand more for the naim combo.

1 Like

The reviews and dealer were enough to make me want to give it a try and I’m d**m happy I did. Now maybe a 12 grand ndx2+psu combo would be better but where do you stop? Plus I can save my sanity and not have to worry about make of switch or lan cable, whether one extra switch makes a difference, super expensive mains leads etc… :wink:

2 Likes

Oh and not have to fight the buggy naim app… that skipping back and forth at the start of tracks was driving me bonkers!

1 Like

In the interests of balance, I preferred the Naim ND555 + 555PS to the DCS Bartok, presumably because the ND555 has a superb external power supply. I also preferred the DCS Rossini (with clock) to the ND555 + 555PS because it doesn’t have a superb external power supply.

There, that proves it.

2 Likes

btw the dealer is also a NAIM dealer and it was him that suggested the bartok. Now he could have suggested naim, he knew I already had an ndx, however he didn’t.

re. reviews… I prefer hifi-news… they seem the least biased.

1 Like

Hi Steve,
Delighted that the Bartok is bringing you such musical joy. It’s a good looking piece of kit too.

Best regards, BF

1 Like