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dCS, explained

The dCS APEX upgrade

If you own a Vivaldi, Rossini or Bartók built before 2022, it can be brought up to the specification of the current APEX models. The upgrade replaces the analog board at the heart of the Ring DAC; everything else about your unit stays as it is. dCS performs the work at its own factory in Cambridgeshire, England, and Pearl Audio arranges it for you.

What changes

APEX is the current generation of the Ring DAC analog board, released in March 2022. dCS reworked the output stage and the voltage regulation, and says the APEX board lowers noise and distortion and is around 12 dB more linear than the board it replaces. dCS reports that owners who have upgraded describe better dynamics and timing, a more resolved soundstage and a greater sense of ease. The best way to judge is to listen, and we can arrange that in one of our listening rooms.

Which units can be upgraded

  • Vivaldi DAC
  • Vivaldi One
  • Rossini DAC
  • Rossini Player
  • Bartók DAC
  • Bartók Headphone DAC

Units built from 2022 onward already have the APEX board and carry APEX in their names. The Lina DAC does not have an upgrade path to APEX.

The price

The APEX hardware upgrade for Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók is $9,000, from the dCS United States price list of May 2026. We will confirm the figure when you ask, along with the shipping involved.

How it works

  1. Tell us what you own. The model and serial number are enough for us to confirm with dCS that the unit is eligible.
  2. We schedule the work. dCS books each upgrade for a set date, so that you are without the unit for as short a time as possible.
  3. The unit goes to dCS. We pack it and send it to the factory in Cambridgeshire, where dCS fits the new Ring DAC APEX analog board and the APEX rear panel plate, tests the unit and brings it up to the current firmware.
  4. It comes back as an APEX. We check it over when it returns and let you know it is ready.

Upgrade, or trade up? For some owners the better step is a move to the next level of the range, with the present unit taken in trade. We are glad to price both so you can compare. See Trading up to a new dCS, or call (503) 222-2599.

Sources

On demonstration in Portland

dCS in the showroom 13 pieces

The whole range →
dCS Varèse Music System — factory front view dCSOn demo Varèse Music System $293,795 dCS Vivaldi stack, front: Vivaldi Transport II, Vivaldi APEX DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler and Vivaldi Master Clock (composed by Pearl Audio from dCS factory views, in dCS's own stacking order) dCSOn demo Vivaldi Music System $153,800 dCS Rossini stack, front: Rossini Transport, Rossini APEX DAC and Rossini Master Clock (composed by Pearl Audio from dCS factory views, in dCS's own stacking order) dCSOn demo Rossini Music System $76,500 dCS Vivaldi APEX DAC — factory front view dCSOn demo Vivaldi APEX DAC $52,500 dCS Varèse Transport — factory front view dCSOn demo Varèse Transport $41,205 dCS Rossini APEX DAC — factory front view dCSOn demo Rossini APEX DAC $34,500 dCS Vivaldi Upsampler — factory front view dCSOn demo Vivaldi Upsampler $34,400 dCS Vivaldi Master Clock — factory front view dCSOn demo Vivaldi Master Clock $25,900 dCS Bartók APEX DAC — factory front view dCSOn demo Bartók APEX DAC $22,000 dCS Lina DAC X — factory front view dCSOn demo Lina DAC X $15,500 dCS Lina Network DAC — factory front view dCSOn demo Lina Network DAC $14,400 dCS Rossini Master Clock — factory front view dCSOn demoIn stock Rossini Master Clock $12,100
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