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Bartok APEX DAC / Headphone Amplifier

The APEX revision reworked the Ring DAC board with a new analog output stage built on compound-pair transistors.

Type
DAC and headphone amplifier
Output
1.4 W into 33 ohms
Weight
16.7 kg
List
$24,100

Output into any load

The line is what the Bartok APEX DAC / Headphone Amplifier delivers, estimated from its published ratings. Each square is a headphone in the catalog at the power it needs for a loud 110 dB peak.

Grado Signature HP100 SE: needs 0.20 mW at 38 ohmsFocal Stellia: needs 2.51 mW at 35 ohmsFocal Clear MG: needs 3.98 mW at 55 ohmsMeze Audio Elite: needs 7.94 mW at 32 ohmsFocal Utopia (2022): needs 3.98 mW at 80 ohmsAudeze MM-520: needs 6.31 mW at 18 ohmsFostex TH900mk2: needs 10.0 mW at 25 ohmsYamaha YH-5000SE: needs 15.8 mW at 34 ohmsRosson Audio Design RAD-0: needs 15.8 mW at 29 ohmsSony MDR-Z1R: needs 10.0 mW at 64 ohmsHIFIMAN HE1000se: needs 25.1 mW at 35 ohmsFinal D8000 Pro Edition: needs 15.8 mW at 60 ohmsZMF Caldera: needs 31.6 mW at 60 ohmsMeze Audio Empyrean II: needs 100 mW at 32 ohmsAudeze LCD-5s: needs 100 mW at 35 ohmsMeze Audio ARTA: needs 15.8 mW at 225 ohmsZMF Vérité Closed: needs 12.6 mW at 300 ohmsDan Clark Audio Expanse: needs 100 mW at 26 ohmsAudio-Technica ATH-ADX5000: needs 10.0 mW at 420 ohmsDan Clark Audio Stealth: needs 100 mW at 23 ohmsSennheiser HD 820: needs 16.6 mW at 300 ohmsSennheiser HD 800 S: needs 20.9 mW at 300 ohmsAbyss Diana TC Signature: needs 100 mW at 72 ohmsAbyss AB-1266 Phi TC: needs 158 mW at 50 ohmsHIFIMAN Susvara: needs 501 mW at 60 ohmsPublished: 1.4 W into 33 ohmsPublished: 150 mW into 300 ohms
Output into each loadPublished ratingHeadphone it drives at 110 dB (25)Needs more (0)Load in ohms across, power up, both on log scales

Build a setup with it

Start with the Meze Audio Empyrean II, the hardest headphone here it drives with power in reserve.

Open in the setup builder →

Where to buy

$24,100

Price: Moon Audio, DAC plus headphone amplifier, black or silver.

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Title block

Maker
dCS
Model
Bartok APEX DAC / Headphone Amplifier
Type
DAC and headphone amplifier
Made in
UK
Output impedance
Not published
Maximum voltage
6 V RMS
PCM
Up to 384 kHz
DSD
DSD128 (DoP)
Weight
16.7 kg
List price
$24,100 USD
Output power
1.4 W into 33 ohms; 150 mW into 300 ohms
Conversion
Ring DAC (APEX): dCS proprietary discrete multi-bit topology on a network of FPGAs, not a ladder DAC, no off-the-shelf DAC chip
Topology
Upsampling network DAC with Class A headphone amplifier; DXD upsampling standard with optional DSD upsampling; separate power supplies for DAC and headphone amp; internal master clock
Finish
Aerospace-grade machined aluminium chassis with internal acoustic damping panels, black or silver

What it drives

How the matching works

Other DACs

Sources