dCS Vivaldi APEX DAC

The APEX DAC is the heart of dCS's Vivaldi system, a four-component modular ecosystem with the DAC, CD/SACD Transport, Master Clock, and Upsampler, built to be upgraded over time rather than replaced.

It uses dCS's Ring DAC APEX hardware, an upgrade developed out of Varese-era engineering that improves dynamics, rhythm, and timing, and is hand-assembled and tested at dCS's UK headquarters.

The Upsampler and Master Clock are configuration add-ons below rather than separate purchases: pick what you want built onto the DAC. The CD/SACD Transport II is sold separately, as its own source component.

APEX DAC (included in every configuration)

• Digital inputs: four AES/EBU on XLR, two dual AES pairs, two S/PDIF on RCA, one on BNC, one TOSLINK, USB 2.0 Type B, SDIF-2 on two BNC
• Analogue outputs: one balanced pair on XLR at 3 ohms, one unbalanced pair on RCA at 52 ohms
• Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V rms
• Residual noise: better than -113 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz at the 6V setting
• Crosstalk: better than -115 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
• Filters: four PCM filters plus six more at specific rates, five DSD filters
• Dimensions: 444 x 435 x 151 mm
• Weight: 35.65 lbs
• Power: 23W typical, 50W maximum

Upsampler add-on

• Adds: digital to digital conversion, upsampling and streaming, opening the system to streaming services, storage and external sources
• Inputs: AES/EBU on XLR, two S/PDIF on RCA, one on BNC, TOSLINK, Ethernet, USB 2.0 Type B, USB Type A
• Upsampling: 24 bit PCM to 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8 or 384 kS/s, or to DSD/64 or DSD/128
• Dimensions: 444 x 435 x 125 mm
• Weight: 31.3 lbs
• Power: 15W typical, 18W maximum

Master Clock add-on

• Adds: Grade 1 master clock generating the precise reference that keeps a Vivaldi system in sync
• Clock frequencies: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz
• Accuracy: better than 1 ppm when shipped, typically 0.1 ppm once stabilised
• Dimensions: 444 x 435 x 126 mm
• Weight: 29.9 lbs
• Power: 10W typical, 12W maximum