dCS BARTÓK | The Best DAC I Have Ever Heard

Thanks again to Quintessence Audio for letting me take home the Bartok. This thing is a serious piece of technical artistry and engineering chops.
Read the explanation on the Ring DAC: www.head-fi.or...
Check out Quintessence: chicagoaudiode...
More on the Bartok: dcsaudio.com/p...
👚Buy Merch: rdbl.co/35UV088
📷Follow me on instagram: bit.ly/3tq8XFj​​​
★Support me on Patreon bit.ly/2RfYRJ1...
🎧Sign up for a free trial of Amazon Music HD: amzn.to/2ZWpIu...
📈 Join WeBull and get free stocks when you signup: bit.ly/3a3ac4X...
★Check out my Amazon storefront: amzn.to/2RfYWM...
Any links to products or services may be affiliate links that give me a small kickback at no cost to you, with no influence on the content.
#dCSBartók #DAC #loudspeaker

[@HiFiTurtle]

Well this video is getting some attention again due to recent news. Based on DCS's response I hope that this means there is no threat of litigation and that Golden Sound can keep his video up without consequence.

[@janickjorgensen2964]

GoldenSound (another journalist) was just threatened with a lawsuit by dCS for posting an unbiased review of their Bartok DAC. Such professionalism.

[@crapmalls]

@@janickjorgensen2964 he just didnt like it. DCS "i am not your mommy or your therapist" whoaaa wtf?

[@ixoye56]

How much did dCS pay you?

[@nielsv2025]

Beautiful to see many of us protesting against this companies behavior. That it may become clear to other companies too that such behavior is unacceptable and can have a huge effect.

[@asegal4677]

Would love your review of the Tambaqui.

[@Konsul135]

I definitely have to find some highend hifi dealers in my area to get to listen to gear like this. Truly fascinating engineering! I feel like getting a Holo May to fill in the gap between the Benchmark and the dCS would be an interesting review.

[@HiFiTurtle]

The Holo is definitely of high interest to me

[@BillyKueekSG]

This video popped up for me probably because of Golden Sound’s reviews. I can so relate to what he’s going through having experienced being bullied when I told my students to be careful who they take hypnosis-related training with because I found out that a student attended one by a convicted paedophile who then moved from UK to Thailand and this student was telling my students to go.

[@labalo5]

I like your enthusiasm for the bartok. Not sure if you tried a Tambaqui? It could save you some money? And imo is a better sounding dac than the bartok.

[@dominicvalois]

I've heard the Bartok, very good DAC but on the soft side... You should definitely try the Holo May or the Denafrips Terminator Plus, at least before you buy the Bartok.

[@sethwilliams6203]

Haha the golden one strikes again

[@HiFiTurtle]

I do plan to try a few other DACs for sure. Like I said I have very little frame of reference of whats in-between the Bartok and my own Benchmark

[@robertcoppersmith1683]

Soft? You’ve got to be kidding. Sure you know how to use the filters, DXD up sample conversion, and Mosiac? Maybe you are just accustomed to glossy digital. This DAC is much more analog.

[@dominicvalois]

@@robertcoppersmith1683 You got me all wrong... I own a Holo May DAC... No digital glare here... Anyways, this is all highly subjective and what you like might be totally different of what I like. I was suggesting he tries other DACs before buying. No need to get offended...

[@labalo5]

What about the dcs Lina for 2Ch?

[@x32i77]

Please review the dcs Lina stack 🙂🙏

[@nirvanaphoenix1858]

Did you use inside amp for listening to this dac? Or what amp you used?

[@psyphonyxaudio]

Subscribed with this account too ..and shared the video =)

[@klewja]

Are you in the market for a used Bartok? I am in the Chicago are and might sell mine to upgrade.

[@HiFiTurtle]

I think youre on instagram too yeah? My email is in my profile under contact. Shoot me one 👍

[@phrankdatank]

Upgrade to what may I ask?

[@klewja]

@@phrankdatank I am looking at going to an MSB dac. More of a change of flavor I guess you could say.

[@phrankdatank]

@@klewja I see, where can I find you if of interest in your Bartok?

[@klewja]

@@phrankdatank i have the unit listed for sale on head-if currently under the same user name as here on youtube.

[@audio_acoustic_engineering]

I wish you could try an exaSound e32 or e62 to make a comparison if you are blown away like that. I hear ya, there is high end gear which is transformational.

[@HiFiTurtle]

If I didnt have the Benchmark the e32 would be a big consideration

[@Coneman3]

Should try Audio Music DAC/1. £13k made in China.

[@davidmcginnis2998]

Awesome

[@nirvanaphoenix1858]

Did you use it for headphones?

[@HiFiTurtle]

Just a little bit, it is extremely spacious sounding. I do think it is a bit softer in the bass slam and presence compared to say the Simaudio 430HA but the Soundstage is the seller

[@shingnosis]

I personally don't like the Benchmark DACs, so you could say that the Bartok is your first real taste of real high-end.

[@rktrkt-tw8nd]

it cant even beat chord mojo 2 leave alone dave.

[@QQ-td9id]

To be a serious review, need a comparison in details (measurements and qualitatively) to other popular top ends like Chord DAVE(+Chord M Scaler) or EMM Labs DACs or Denafrips Terminator Plus(+DDC), etc. (Holo May is great but not quite there regardless of lower price IMHO)

[@joelowens5211]

People should try out gear and listen to it in a properly set up room and decide what they like and do not like. Some people can refer to a clean room whereas to me it is too sterile and not life like. I personally like a laid back Dac with more realism. If it is so technical and sterile I can't get lost in the music which is the goal for me to relax. When you own a business dealing with very high levels of money on a weekly basis you just want to relax and take a break. Just like people like headphones I can't stand them. I want to enveloped and washed over in the music. What is that saying? Different strokes for different folks. It's your money you spend it on what you think sounds best.I am getting DCS bartok installed next week. Had Prima Luna currently but upgrading. Audio should be FUN and some people take this stuff way too seriously arguing over which is the best etc.

[@kimchee411]

What do you think about the Bartok so far?

[@briansat7667]

Jay just sentenced BARTOK is the WORST.

[@HiFiTurtle]

Well thats just like his opinion man

[@robertcoppersmith1683]

Has “Jay” ever heard dCS DAC? What does he own? Resent the price Jay?

[@ichwanbedwiner]

Ive found Jay's reviews to be suspect and that's my way of being kind.

[@marcusrogge201]

Next step get a trinnov St2 pro xD

[@marcusrogge201]

Nicee If you ever find one for 5k i take it

[@HiFiTurtle]

HA! Thatll be mine if I ever found one 😁

[@Jagcycle]

Did dCS threaten you to make a positive review? dCS reviews cannot be trusted due to their willingness to sue over a bad review, and brings up the question as to the integrity of the reviewer.

[@HiFiTurtle]

😂😂😂 you guys crack me up

[@wraspire]

DCS Rossini is a much better DAC, to be it is the entrance point for DCS sound

[@kimchee411]

Well Rossini Apex is now almost $33,000 so the entrance point for a DCS DAC is akin to the entrance point for a BMW. I'll happily drive around the economy version called Bartok.

[@lucalone]

for 20 000 (!!!) bucks it better be...

[@crapmalls]

Hey DCS "i am not your mommy or your therapist" oh really huh? Guess what? Im not your customer

[@HiFiTurtle]

Ok 😂 I'm not dCS or affiliated with them

[@crapmalls]

@@HiFiTurtle thats literally what the dcs letter to goldensound said. So weird

[@inonothing09]

Meintner and MSB for me... DCS , arrogant ,none existent service , ytpical english pomposity .

[@ryanguy6789]

Biggest scam ever.

[@tbbt2515]

AudioScience Reviews beg to differ on that opinion... The dCS Bartok measures terrible.

[@HiFiTurtle]

Is there a measurement on ASR? I haven't seen one. The measurements on Goldensound and Stereophile were pretty good imo. Like I said in the video on paper is it in the top 5 DACs based on measurement of ASR? Probably not, but I think it would still land in the upper registers. That being said, I still thought it was leaps and bounds beyond the Benchmark DAC3 sound wise. The DAC3 is in those upper registers of ASR. I like what ASR does for the most part, but I don't think measurements are the de facto in what sounds good.

[@QQ-td9id]

@@HiFiTurtle Agree measurements are NOT the sufficient condition but to be a real highend both measurements and QC tests need to be good, really good for that $$$.