Digital Processor Reviews

... match the levels by measuring at the speaker terminals with a precision voltmeter.

Am I missing something? or did not the reviewer try going direct to poweramp and set the gain level so the Bartok's volume control was used near full?

Cheers George

May be Jim Austin could also do a comparison follow-up review with the PS Audio DirectStream DAC with the newest 'Windom' software update? :-) ..........

I applaud folks that try to find something special about any modern DAC.

I tried and failed.

but...

in my systematic hunt I learned about Tube Rolling and how economical it is to make significant changes to the performance of a Pre-Amp by Tube Shopping. Hmm. Art Ferris of Audible Illusions spoke of his Modulus Preamps having great sounding tubes but I wasn't paying attention properly, I had to relearn that basic truth from another Schiit Valhalla 2 Audiophile at an Ann Arbor Michigan Headphone Meet.

I also felt my hearing was defective, so I hired the University of Michigan Audiologists do a rather complete work-up; my hearing response curve tapers off over 8k.

The good news could be that the psychiatrists reveal how a person's brain adjusts and extrapolates sounds to complete the missing bits. ( if allowed and encouraged )

Bob Katz the Mastering Engineer has useful opinions about DACs, as does Jason Stoddard.

For all I know, now, DACs are dam good and won't "Move the Needle" like a Power Cord, PS Audio Power Plant, a good 12ax7, new CAPs in an Vintage AMP., Good Cabling and Class A's sweet sound.

Tony in Venice

ps I'd be surprised if this review read any different.

Bartok? Vivaldi? Haut Brion?
I guess the low end of the line will use a Ducon DAC, a National Lampoon turntable, a Burger King amp feeding some American Standard speakers through Pepsi Zero cables...

from dCS: "He acknowledged that chip DACs Big IC companies, he pointed out, tend to go where the money is. There's a risk that in their efforts to make DAC chips more mobile-friendly—more compact or energy efficient—the unique needs of audiophiles will be sacrificed, or at least neglected"

While the above may be true in some cases, or in the future, it is clearly not the case now for all DAC ICs. If we hold this comment up to the light for a minute, we see that ESS indeed makes some "compromised" DAC chips, designed specifically for mobile uses (the Q2M series I believe), and therefore to run on less power, and perhaps not at the top possible level of sound quality. But none of those things are true of ESS' top of the line DAC chip, the 9038 PRO, which requires stout and very sophisticated power supplies, and is a fairly expensive and non-compromised part. By no means do I intend to suggest that the ESS 9038 Pro is the "best" way to make a DAC, or that discrete implementations have no possible advantages, I am just pointing out that this part is not compromised in any of the ways which dCS' John Quick suggest "could" generally be the case with DAC chips. In any case, I suspect the Bartok, like most of the current offerings from dCS which I have heard, is an excellent sounding DAC.

"None of this--neither the competitiveness of cheaper technologies nor dCS's response to my review, lessens my respect for the company or the excellent products they produce."

Totally agreed Jim! Thanks or the review.

Way out of my league for now lol but great review Jim! What you said about A/B comparisons really resonated with me and my way of evaluating my upgrades.

Based on the review, I am confident that this DAC delivers performance fully adequate to the intended applications.

It is also an expensive DAC, and I think it integrates too much functionality within one box. I don't mind high levels of integration at price levels suitable to short-lived disposable electronics, but for me the price of this well exceeds what I would spend on short-lived disposability.

I would not buy one for the simple reason that it does not separate out the IP streaming functionality to a separate box that can be separately placed in the trash when it soon becomes obsolete, when orphaned out of active technical support and security vulnerabilities are unpatched.

This DAC is priced high enough to afford a separated multi-box solution.

How would you compare it to the Mytek Manhattan 2?

I wonder why dCS marks the BNC digital input as S/P/DIF inputs, as this is non standard.
The BNC connector is solely used for AES3 unbalanced, which has twice the voltage of S/P/DIF. And S/P/DIF is practical for cable runs up to 10 meters, AES3 unbalanced can do 1.000 meters.
S/P/DIF subcodes are different, and can contain DRM information, which is not the case with AES3 unbalanced.

One of the main features of the Bartok is the headphone amp. It has a unique "crossfeed" topology from what I've heard. Surprised Stereophile did not review the headphones section. For that, John Darko somewhat covered the Bartok and 'phones in his YouTube review.

Thanks Mr.Austin for review, have you had any chance to use Bartok directly to amplifier without pre with good result?

No experienced listener has ever described any DAC with such wonderful reveals. ( never, ever )

I've been chasing DAC improved performance with the idea that they are Transducer Devices, in the same manner as/that Phono Cartridges are transducers. Surely, some transduce better than others. ( don't they ? )

So, why is it difficult for me to hear meaningful DAC differences when I can easily hear all manner of differences in Loudspeakers ?

That is until now: Now, Mr.HR. is hearing things never before revealed!
Is it the Connecting Circuits ?,
Is it the missing Apple Computer ?
Is USB a serious problem ( like Schiit Claims it to be ? )
Is it a new strain of Wacky-tobaccy hitting NY ?
Is it nice sounding resistors instead of Chips ?
Is it modern recording technology being revealed by circuits designed to reveal it.

Is it a combination of careful designs not constrained by Chip pricing parities ?

This Bartok device re-opens a range of important questions, especially considering that the Device's Retail price is'nt far from the price of a desirable Phono Cartridge. ( not even considering the outrageous prices for today's Arms & Turntables or $100 Vinyl Re-issues from Kansas )

Tyll did his 2015 Big Sound Comparisons that featured the best of the then available DACs ( or so I thought ), no-body noticed differences in any of the DACs. ( including Bob Katz, I think )

This little review deserved ( or should've had ) a Photo on the Front Cover if DACs are getting this dam good !

Ten years ago we got the iPhone that changed the entire World, this next 10 Years will probably bring 16/44 to amazing performance levels.

God bless the Joe Bussard Collectors out there, Vinyl is still cheap.

Tony in Venice Florida