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dCS · Rossini
$29,900
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
dCS · Rossini
A CD/SACD transport for the Rossini system: a dual-laser mechanism that plays SACD as native DSD and can upsample CD to DSD, DSDx2 or DXD before sending it over Dual AES to a Rossini or Bartók DAC.
dCS Universal Remote supplied. Upsampled CD and SACD output is encrypted for a dCS DAC with a Dual AES input. Available to order.
Authorized dCS dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
dCS transports are not passive. The Rossini Transport reads the disc, and for CD it also does the first stage of processing: the owner chooses whether 16-bit/44.1 kS/s data leaves the Dual AES outputs as DXD (24-bit at 352.8 kS/s), as DSD (1-bit at 2.822 MS/s) or as DSDx2 (1-bit at 5.644 MS/s), encrypted so that it can only be decoded by a dCS DAC. SACD layers are output as encrypted DSD, which is how dCS carries native DSD from an SACD to its DACs over a standard interface; a Rossini APEX DAC, Rossini APEX Player, Bartók APEX or Vivaldi APEX DAC accepts it on its Dual AES input. A separate single AES output and two S/PDIF outputs carry plain 16-bit/44.1 kS/s for any other DAC, whether a CD or an SACD is playing. The transport's own clock is calibrated to ±10 ppm and it accepts an external word clock at 44.1, 88.2 or 176.4 kHz, so with a Rossini Master Clock the transport and DAC both run from the same reference, and in Master mode the transport can clock the DAC itself.
John Atkinson reviewed the Rossini Transport for Stereophile with a Rossini DAC and found CDs upsampled to double DSD had "palpable realism", described SACD playback as "sweet and natural" against the "rather flat presentation" of even well-recorded CDs, and heard a fuller double bass from an SACD in the transport than from the same data streamed via Roon. Those are the two reasons the transport exists for a Rossini owner: the SACD collection, and the possibility that a disc, read in real time and delivered over AES with a shared clock, sounds better than the same file over the network. dCS leaves the upsampling choice to the listener and suggests trying each.
The Rossini Transport is 178 mm tall and 20.6 kg, with a dual-laser CD/SACD mechanism, and the dCS Universal Remote is supplied as standard. Control is from the front panel, the remote, the Mosaic app or RS232 for an automation system, and software updates are loaded from a CD-R. Pairing is simplest with the Rossini APEX DAC: one Dual AES pair for audio, a BNC word clock link, and the Rossini Master Clock's third output if a clock is in the system.
In the dCS range the Rossini Transport sits between the Rossini APEX Player, which builds a CD-only mechanism into the DAC, and the Vivaldi Transport II, which uses the same approach in a heavier Vivaldi chassis with the Sound United D&M mechanism. The Varèse Transport takes a different route, sending native data over ACTUS to the Varèse Core with no upsampling in the transport. The Rossini Transport is available to order; ask us to arrange an audition with your own discs through the Rossini APEX DAC and Rossini Master Clock in Portland.
Both finishes are the same price. Allow space for airflow around the 178 mm-high chassis.
| Drive | Dual-laser CD/SACD mechanism |
| Formats | CD (Red Book) and SACD; CD data output as encrypted DSD (2.822 MS/s), DSDx2 (5.644 MS/s) or DXD (24-bit/352.8 kS/s) on Dual AES, selectable in the menu; SACD output as encrypted DSD |
| Outputs | 1 × Dual AES pair (2 × XLR, AES1+2) for dCS DACs; 1 × AES/EBU (XLR, AES3) at 16-bit/44.1 kS/s; 2 × S/PDIF (RCA and BNC) at 16-bit/44.1 kS/s |
| Clock | 1 × word clock input (BNC) at 44.1, 88.2 or 176.4 kHz, lock range ±300 ppm; 1 × word clock output (BNC) in Master mode; internal clock calibrated to ±10 ppm when shipped |
| Control | Front panel; dCS Universal Remote (supplied); Mosaic app; RS232; software updates from CD-R |
| Dimensions | 444 mm W × 435 mm D × 178 mm H (17.5 × 17.2 × 7.0 in); allow extra depth for connectors and space for airflow |
| Weight | 20.6 kg (45.3 lb) |
| Power | Factory set to 100, 115/120, 220 or 230/240 V; 16 W typical, 50 W maximum, under 0.5 W powered down from the front panel |
| Finish | Silver or black anodised aluminium |
The disc source for Rossini and Bartók systems, and the most affordable dCS SACD transport.
It partners the Rossini APEX DAC or Bartók APEX DAC over Dual AES, with the Rossini Master Clock as the shared reference.
Plan your dCS system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized dCS dealer. The Rossini Transport is available to order; ask us to arrange an audition with your own discs in our Portland showroom. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
The Reference Collection
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The Rossini Transport is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
