The digital heart of the Vivaldi system, our world-famous DAC decodes audio with astonishing focus. Featuring the latest generation dCS Ring DACM APEX, it delivers a performance unmatched in its realism, depth, and emotion.
APEX is a new, enhanced version of the dCS Ring DAC: the Digital to Analogue conversion system found inside all dCS DACs. First developed for our professional audio products, this unique system has been subject to continuous development and refinement over the past three decades, and remains renowned for its technical and sonic performance.
With APEX, we've reconfigured the Ring DAC's circuit board and developed a new analogue output stage. This has allowed us to further reduce distortion, and increase linearity, resulting in a range of measured and sonic improvements - including an even greater sense of dynamic drive, detail, finesse and vitality.
Limitless Potential
Compatible with all high-resolution music formats, the Vivaldi is a system that can flex to serve whatever mood or music you ask it to. Whether youre streaming or spinning discs, it offers superlative sound and an effortless listening experience. And with its wide range of settings and filters, its performance can be tailored to suit your music collection and audio setup.
The Vivaldi DAC features AES3, Dual AES, SDIF-2 and S/PDIF inputs, along with an asynchronous USB 2.0 interface. Its enhanced digital volume control allows direct connection to a power amplifier, removing the need for a separate preamp, and its maximum output can be set to one of four levels to suit a range of amplifier and speaker combinations.
Thanks to its high-performance UPnP streamer, the Vivaldi upsampler provides instant access to audio from a wide range of streaming services, including Roon, TIDAL, Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer and Internet Radio, as well as external devices and storage drives. Add a CD/SACD Transport and you have a system that delivers extraordinary sound from any digital source.
Playback is easily managed via our Mosaic platform, which allows you to browse music from multiple libraries and adjust the settings on your dCS system through a single mobile app. Available on all Android and iOS devices, it provides endless choice and complete control over your listening experience through a simple, intuitive interface.
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 clocks
- 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
| Product Type | Digital-to-Analogue Converter |
| Color Options | Silver or Black |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 444mm x 435mm x 151mm (17.5" x 17.2" x 6.0") |
| Weight | 16.2 kg (35.65 lbs) |
| DAC Topology | dCS proprietary Ring DAC, with 3MHz or 6MHz operation |
| Balanced Outputs | 1 x pair on XLR connectors. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V rms; Output impedance: 3; Max load: 600 |
| Unbalanced Outputs | 1 x pair on RCA connectors. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V rms; Output impedance: 52; Max load: 600 |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 on B-type connector; accepts 24-bit 44.1 384kS/s PCM, DSD/64 & DSD128 (DoP) |
| AES/EBU Inputs | 4 x AES/EBU inputs (XLR); accepts 24-bit 32 192kS/s PCM & DSD/64 (DoP) |
| Dual AES Pairs | 2 x Dual AES pairs; accepts 24-bit 88.2 384kS/s PCM, DSD/64 & DSD/128 (DoP) |
| SPDIF Inputs | 2 x RCA, 1 x BNC, 1 x TOSLINK (24-bit, up to 192kS/s PCM & DSD/64 DoP) |
| SDIF-2 Interface | 1 x SDIF-2 on 2x BNC connectors; accepts 24-bit 32 96kS/s PCM or SDIF-2 DSD |
| Word Clock Inputs | 3 x Word Clock Inputs on BNC; accept 32-192kHz standard Word Clock |
| Word Clock Output | 1 x Word Clock Output on BNC; outputs 44.1kHz (Sync Mode) or 38.4kHz (Universal Master Mode) |
| S/N Ratio (Unweighted) | Better than -113dB0 @ 20Hz-20kHz (6V setting) |
| S/N Ratio (Weighted) | Better than -115dB0 @ 20Hz-20kHz |
| Distortion (THD N) | Better than -105dB0 @ 20Hz-20kHz |
| PCM Filters | 4 filters for Nyquist image rejection and phase response, 2 extra filters available at certain sampling rates |
| DSD Filters | 4 filters to reduce out-of-band noise, plus Filter 5 with improved transient response |
| Remote Control | dCS Universal Remote included |
| Interfaces | RS232 (controlled by Vivaldi Upsampler/app or third-party device) |
| Power Supply | Factory set for 100, 115, 220, or 230V AC, 50-60Hz |
| Power Consumption | 23W typical, 50W maximum |
