dCS Vivaldi digital playback system Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, Cobra, Castellon turntable, tonearm, stand; Kuzma 4Point tonearm; Lyra Atlas, Miyajima Labs Zero mono, Ortofon Anna cartridges.
Digital Sources: BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder; Meridian Digital Media System, AVA Media Zara Premium music servers; Pure Music software.
Preamplification: Ypsilon MC-10 & MC-16 step-up transformers; Ypsilon VPS-100 phono preamplifier; darTZeel NHB-18ns preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: darTZeel NHB 458 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Alexandria XLF.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest CAT 700 Carbon & Diamond RJ/E Ethernet; Fono Acustica USB; Snake River S/PDIF; Wireworld Eclipse Gold Starlight AES/EBU, clock, S/PDIF. Interconnect: EnKlein Aeros, Stealth Sakra & Indra, TARA Labs Zero Gold, Teresonic Clarison Gold, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 7, ZenSati Seraphim. Speaker: EnKlein Aeros, TARA Labs Omega Gold, Teresonic Clarison Gold. AC: Shunyata Research ZiTron Anaconda & ZiTron Alpha Digital.
Accessories: Shunyata Research Hydra Triton & Hydra Typhon power conditioners (2 sets); Oyaide AC wall box & receptacles; ASC Tube Traps; RPG BAD, Skyline, Abffusor panels; Symposium Rollerblocks & Ultra platform; HRS Signature SXR, Finite Elemente Pagode stands; Audiodharma Cable Cooker; Furutech & Stein Audio DeMagnetizers, Furutech deStat; Loricraft PRC4 Deluxe, Audio Desk record-cleaning machines.—Michael Fremer

COMPANY INFO
dCS (Data Conversion Systems), Ltd.
US distributor: dCS America
PO Box 544, 3057 Nutley Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
(617) 314-9296
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
wozwoz's picture

Nice review ... but one comment caught my eye:

> "dCS has configured the Vivaldi for the discless future"

The discless future???  Hmm .... according to the latest industry figures:

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/5855162/digital-music-sales-decrease-for-first-time-in-2013

... downloads are already on the way down.

Current industry figures are:

* vinyl is 2% of album sales in the U.S; 

* digital albums == 40.6% of album sales

* the CD is 57.2% 

So, after 13 years of downloads, .... downloads themselves are being eaten up by even lower quality streaming, and physical formats remain dominant. 

In summary: I think dCS will get their bread and butter from selling the hi-rez SACD player here ...  Certainly, if I won the lottery, that's the component I would shoot for.

ashandger's picture

Hello Michael, many thanks for the excellent review....highly informative. Would it be possible for you to expand on the differences between the Vivaldi and the MSB Diamond system in terms of rhythm and pace, microdynamics, intrumental timbres and soundstage perspective (is one row 10 and the other row 30 for example). Look forward to hearing your thoughts. Many thanks, Ash

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