dCS

Vivaldi APEX DAC

£38,500

The digital heart of the system, Vivaldi DAC decodes digital audio with astonishing focus, and astonishing results: delivering a performance unmatched in it’s realism, depth and emotion.

Vivaldi APEX DAC uses the latest groundbreaking dCS technology including ‘next generation’ versions of the dCS Ring APEX DAC™, Digital Processing Platform and Clocking System so that, as the hub of a digital audio system, an array of features guarantees superlative performance from any digital source.

In-store purchase only, please call 0141 221 0221 or email glasgow@loud-clear.co.uk to reserve/enquire.

VIVALDI APEX – The Pioneer
Engineered for the ultimate listening experience, the Vivaldi APEX reflects dCS‘s uncompromising attitude, relentless innovation and obsessive attention to detail. Featuring a dedicated DAC, Upsampler, Clock and CD/SACD Transport, it separates the core aspects of the playback process for a performance that is technically precise and musically profound.

System Components:
Vivaldi DAC The digital heart of the system, Vivaldi DAC decodes digital audio with astonishing focus. Featuring the latest generation Ring DAC APEX, it delivers a performance unmatched in it’s realism, depth and emotion.

Vivaldi Upsampler The digital to digital converter, which acts as the hub of your system, accessing music from any source and converting audio from it’s native sampling rate to high-resolution DSD, DXD or PCM, providing a complete listening experience with astonishing detail and depth.

Vivaldi Master Clock Based on dCS‘s pioneering developments in studio and home audio, this Grade1 master clock generates a precise reference signal that keeps your Vivaldi system running in perfect sync,ensuring a natural, lifelike and three-dimensional performance.

Vivaldi CD/SACD Transport Combines a TEAC Esoteric VRDS Neo mechanism with proprietary dCS signal processing to extract revelatory levels of detail from CD and delivering the ultimate in silver disc replay.

 

Otherworldly Performance
With total precision and composure, the Vivaldi unravels even the most complex recordings with ease, projecting a sound that feels utterly natural and beautifully complete. Under its delicate hand and invisible touch, music comes alive, with each note unfolding to reveal a panoramic view of a recording or mix.

From the smallest inflections to the swiftest shifts in tempo and tone, it captures it all with a sense of perfect rhythm and flow. With its wide and far-reaching gaze, it uncovers not just the fine details in a recording, but the silences and spaces in between – the tension, drama and emotions that lie beneath.

Crafted for the purest musical expression, the Vivaldi is designed to disappear, leaving you absorbed in sound and immersed in the world that an artist creates. Its pioneering architecture builds on three decades of innovation to present dCS‘s most ambitious system yet: a four-chassis design with almost limitless potential.

With the Vivaldi’s launch, was devised a blueprint for a new generation of digital playback systems. dCS reimagined core technologies – including Ring DAC™ system, clocking architecture and the dCS Digital Processing Platform – and developed a new technical DNA that has shaped the creation of each dCS product since.

Unrivalled in its sonic and technical abilities, the Vivaldi has earned global acclaim for it’s groundbreaking design and captivating sound. A product of visionary thinking and fearless engineering, it remains the most revealing and lowest distortion playback system available – and its design continues to evolve.

With the Vivaldi APEX, dCS has once again redefined state-of-the-art in digital audio. Vivaldi DAC is further enhanced with the addition of next generation Ring DAC APEX™ hardware., taking Vivaldi’s world-leading performance to a new level – resulting in an even more immersive musical experience.

dCS Vivaldi_System_complete

APEX DAC Key Features

  • dCS Ring DAC APEX™ hardware further reduces distortion and improves linearity for enhanced musical performance
  • Utilises the latest generation dCS Digital Processing Platform for state-of-the-art measured performance and unrivalled fidelity
  • Designed for maximum flexibility by accepting audio data from a variety of digital sources
  • Flexible output configuration can be optimised in systems with or without preamplifiers
  • Comprehensive clocking architecture plus an auto-clocking mode used in the Vivaldi range improves ease-of-use and minimises jitter
  • USB interface allows easy connection to a computer, accepting PCM data at up to 24/384 and DoP (DSD/64 or DSD/128 over PCM)
  • The interface runs in asynchronous USB mode, making the DAC immune to jitter from noisy computer master clock
  • Improved power supplies give lower running temperature and superior tolerance to AC supply variations
  • Multi-stage regulation ensures sensitive analogue circuitry is unaffected by digital interference
  • Separate power circuits for the digital and analogue sections further enhance the purity of the power supply
  • Aerospace-grade machined aluminium chassis fitted with tuned acoustic damping panels reduces magnetic effects and vibration
  • Features a full MQA™ decoder. This MQA™ implementation is unique, as it is the first opportunity to enable a DAC which, by providing exact rendering to beyond 16x (768 kHz), matches the desired temporal response with very low modulation noise

 

Specifications

Type: Digital to Analogue Converter.

Colour: Silver or Black

Dimensions: 444mm / 17.5” x 435mm / 17.2” x 151mm / 6.0“. Allow extra depth for cable connectors

Weight: 16.2kg/35.65lbs

Converter type: dCS proprietary Ring DAC™ topology, with a choice of 3MHz or 6MHz operation

Digital inputs: USB 2.0 interface on B-type connector, accepts 24-bit 44.1 – 384kS/s PCM, DSD/64 & DSD128 in DoP format; 4x AES/EBU inputs on 3-pin female XLR connectors, accepts 24-bit 32 – 192kS/s PCM & DSD/64 in DoP format; 2 x Dual AES pairs, accepts 24-bit 88.2 – 384kS/s PCM, DSD/64 & DSD/128 in DoP format; 2 x SPDIF on RCA Phono connectors, accepts 24-bit 32-192kS/s PCM & DSD/64 in DoP format; 1 x SPDIF on BNC connector, accepts 24-bit 32-192kS/s PCM & DSD/64 in DoP format; 1 x SPDIF on TOSLINK connector, accepts 24-bit 32 – 96kS/s PCM; 1 x SDIF-2 interface on 2x BNC connectors, accepts 24-bit 32 – 96kS/s PCM or SDIF-2 DSD (auto selected). This interface requires a compatible Word Clock input, locked to the correct data rate

Analogue Outputs: 1 x pair balanced outputs on 2x XLR connectors. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V rms for a full-scale input, set in the menu. Output impedance: 3Ω. Maximum load: 600Ω (10k-100kΩ is recommended); 1x pair unbalanced outputs on 2x RCA connectors. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V rms for a full-scale input, set in the menu. Output impedance: 52Ω. Maximum load: 600Ω (10k-100kΩ is recommended)

Wordclock I/O: 3 x Word Clock Inputs on BNC connectors, accept standard Word Clock at 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz. The data rate can be the same as the clock rate or an exact multiple of the clock rate. Sensitive to TTL levels; 1 x Word Clock Output on 1x BNC connector. With Sync Mode set to Master, a TTL-compatible 44.1kHz Word Clock is output. In Universal Master Mode, a 38.4kHz Word Clock is output for use with the Vivaldi Upsampler

Residual Noise: Better than -113dB0 @ 20Hz-20kHz unweighted (6V setting)

LR Crosstalk: Better than -115dB0, 20Hz – 20kHz

Spurious Responses: Better than -105dB0, 20Hz – 20kH

Filters: PCM mode: PCM mode: 4 filters give different trade-offs between the Nyquist image rejection and the phase response. 2 extra filters are available at 44.1, 176.4, 192, 352.8 and 384kS/s. DSD mode: 4 filters progressively reduce out-of-audio band noise level (inherent in the 1 bit nature of DSD), plus Filter 5 which has an improved transient response

Software Updates: Loaded from CD-R via PCM inputs or PC via USB interface

Local Control: dCS Universal Remote is supplied as standard. RS232 (controlled by the Vivaldi Upsampler / app or a third party device)

Power Supply: Factory set to either 100, 115/120, 220 or 230/240V AC, 50-60Hz

Power Consumption: 23 Watts typical/50 Watts maximum