Sub 5 grand DACs

Wow a two and an a half grand volume control!!

Thanks a lot for that copy. You made a great choice apparently.
I see Bluesfan tipping. He didn’t found the Bartok enough involving.
I let him of course say himself…

I so wish that the Bartok had led me to the same conclusion on the two occasions that the Bartok was played back-to-back with the ND555/555PSDR using Naim amplifiers. It would have been much cheaper and neater to buy a Bartok. DCS is also based close to where we live. Unfortunately, the Bartok couldn’t hold a candle to the ND555/555PSDR to either my cloth ears or the respective dealers’ ears.

On the other hand, others seem to have had much better results with their new Bartoks and I wish them many hours of musical joy. Perhaps it sounds even better with headphones than it does when feeding a Naim amplifier.

Best regards, BF

tbh I think comparing a sub 10 grand streamer against a 20 grand NAIM product is probably a bit unfair. If I’m honest I find it very surprising if the Bartok can hold it’s own against the ND555+PSU. I think the question really is how the Bartok compares to the ndx2 plus suitable power supply.

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Fair point Steve, very well made.

I REALLY like that so much functionality does into 1 box with the Bartok. It’s a fine looking piece of kit too.

Best regards, BF

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I’ve now had the time to read the article fully and both Todes and Colloms are big fans of using a Townshend Allegri on the output. The start of the review is direct into power amps where the Bartok presented itself very well with phrases like ‘The soundstage is huge…’ but then they add the Allegri and things leap upward… “For the ultimate mind-blowing experience I would therefore not recommend using the Bartok directly into poweramps, but use the best possible preamp … When heard direct , the sheer dynamic force of the Bartok just grabs me by the scruff of the neck. Arresting, revealing and above all, truly musical. I can honestly say that after a decade of reviewing hi-end fare, I’ve not heard something as musically captivating as this.”

Now, for my part, I found things got better without my CA2, so direct into the P1 amps. From this I infer, if you REALLY want to make the Bartok sing then add a REALLY good preamp. Maybe I need to think about an Allegri? :wink:

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The ATC pre is on the same price level. I really doubt it will be night and day. However sometimes exceptions exist.
Some tried the allegri and preferred the 282 into naim amp. But you have ATC active…it should be different too.

Steve

You’ve done an awful lot of box swapping recently. Just because Colloms likes his Allegri, doesn’t mean you will. It’s only a personal opinion when all said and done. It’s terribly easy to get caught up in chasing some ultimate goal, but there’s no end to that really. You have a wonderful system, which would make most people jealous. Why not take a break for a few months from reading reviews, buying new gear etc. and simply spend more time listening to lots and lots of music? As Sergei Rachmaninov (I think) said:
“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”

Roger

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I am quite sure that the Allegri will do nothing really better vs the ATC pre. Solwisteve would have to buy an expensive pre to really improve vs the Bartok volume control.
So I agree with you, no rush here and better for now enjoy the system as it is.

Yes… a total system change over the last 11 months… very sage words…

Steve

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