Article: dCS Rossini DAC Review

[mrkwr]

Coming late to this, but I have a question for the reviewer: given the superlatives used in the review text, I wondered what were the factors that led to this getting a 4* rather than 5* rating. Is it down to the price/value ratio, or something else?

[The Computer Audiophile]

45 minutes ago, mrkwr said:

Coming late to this, but I have a question for the reviewer: given the superlatives used in the review text, I wondered what were the factors that led to this getting a 4* rather than 5* rating. Is it down to the price/value ratio, or something else?

The ratings are given by readers of the site and are about the article not the product. Confusing I agree. 

[mrkwr]

Ah, I see, I'm new here. Many thx for the fast clarification. I'm planning to hear dCS kit for myself for the first time next week

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, mrkwr said:

Ah, I see, I'm new here. Many thx for the fast clarification. I'm planning to hear dCS kit for myself for the first time next week

No worries.  Welcome to CA. Have a great time listening to dCS. I'll be at the factory mid September. 

[Vincent1234]

2 hours ago, mrkwr said:

Ah, I see, I'm new here. Many thx for the fast clarification. I'm planning to hear dCS kit for myself for the first time next week

You'll love it. Enjoy! ??

[udis]

Chris,

 

in your review, did you use the Rossini as the Room end point or/and something else?

 

can you please describe your Roon topology for this review?

 

Thanks 

udi

 

 

 

 

[mrmb]

Can anyone comment on the length of time the Rossini takes to burn-in?

 

BTW, Chris, thanks for you review of the Rossini.  And for the most part, I enjoyed the comments it elicited.  

 

But it is always interesting to read negative comments about cost as it generally relates to the high-end audio products; alluding to how misguided we audiophiles all are.  They're as helpful as negative (1-star) reviews on sites such as Amazon regarding an item that was received damaged.  In both cases, animus drives the post.  Neither add a whit to the discussion; nor are they obviously meant to.

 

 

[fas42]

On 3/17/2018 at 2:16 AM, amir57bs said:

I think dCS could not make good DAC even at 120k$.

if you listen to dCS in a high sensitivity loudspeaker like living voice horn with kondo electronics you will find dCS is the most boring dac.

i have listened to elgar and scarlatti, they just kill emotion of music.

 

Amir

 

Just noted this thread, and this response compared to what Chris found when listening is a pretty good example of the remarkably fine balance required for digital playback to 'work'. Like Amir, I found the SQ of the best dCS model made about 15 years ago pretty awful; yet what Chris said about the current Rossini unit gets all the ticks - undistorted replay most certainly delivers the experience described here ... so, what was the "magic" discovered and added by dCS in the intervening years?

 

What made me particularly smile was the concept of "unskippable tracks" - yes, Virginia, recordings aren't as bad as they're cracked up to be, something that only a finely optimised setup properly reveals ... .

[Vincent1234]

On 7/30/2019 at 10:24 PM, mrmb said:

Can anyone comment on the length of time the Rossini takes to burn-in?

 

BTW, Chris, thanks for you review of the Rossini.  And for the most part, I enjoyed the comments it elicited.  

 

But it is always interesting to read negative comments about cost as it generally relates to the high-end audio products; alluding to how misguided we audiophiles all are.  They're as helpful as negative (1-star) reviews on sites such as Amazon regarding an item that was received damaged.  In both cases, animus drives the post.  Neither add a whit to the discussion; nor are they obviously meant to.

 

 

Not too long. I would say about a week of constant play.

[mrmb]

Thanks Vincent1234,

150-300 hours has been my experience with other CDP's and DAC's.  So, yeah, I was thinking about a week, give or take.  I'm just anxious to hear just what to ultimately expect from the Rossini. 

 

I traded a darn good balanced tube DAC of essentially equal value for the Rossini.  And right-out-of-the-box, I was liking what the Rossini was doing.  I especially liked how quick and easy it locked on to my Roon Core.

 

Albeit subtle (which I expected) filter changes have also been interesting.  I assume as the DAC runs-in, these will be slightly more discerible.  

 

It is nice to parse a network streamer (another variable) out of the system and directly connect to ethernet. 

[Vincent1234]

4 hours ago, mrmb said:

It is nice to parse a network streamer (another variable) out of the system and directly connect to ethernet. 

Nice to hear you love your Rossini. So do I! Regarding the network streamer: I love that possibility on the Rossini too. However it quickly became clear to me that the sound in that case (using Roon) cannot compete with using my Aurender as the server. So that one is staying where it is. YMMV, of course.

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 hours ago, Vincent1234 said:

Nice to hear you love your Rossini. So do I! Regarding the network streamer: I love that possibility on the Rossini too. However it quickly became clear to me that the sound in that case (using Roon) cannot compete with using my Aurender as the server. So that one is staying where it is. YMMV, of course.

I was up until 2am this morning listening through the W20 externally clicked by the Rossini. Wonderful stuff. 

[NordicBob]

I’m a new DCS Rossini + Rossini clock owner.  For those who own the Rossini + Rossini clock, do you put your Rossini and Clock in standby when not listening or leave it on all the time?    My dealer suggested leaving them on ll the time, but I would like to know what other DCS owners do;  leave their DACs + Clocks on all the time or use standby when not listening.