dCS Vivaldi Upsampler

The dCS Vivaldi Upsampler redefines what it means to act as the hub of a reference digital audio system — a component of extraordinary ambition that takes every digital source in your collection and processes it through dCS's own proprietary algorithms, lifting incoming audio to DXD or DSD before it reaches the conversion stage. This is not upsampling as a feature; it is upsampling as a philosophy, executed at a level that sets a new standard for what digital-to-digital conversion can achieve.

Digital-to-Digital Conversion

Operating as a digital-to-digital converter of the highest order, the Vivaldi Upsampler accepts music from any digital source and converts the audio from its native sample rate to either high resolution DXD — 24-bit data at 352.8 or 384kS/s — DSD at 2.822 or 3.072MS/s, or standard high resolution PCM up to 24-bit/192kS/s. The precision with which this conversion is executed is the defining characteristic of the Vivaldi Upsampler: the resulting signal is more vibrant, more three-dimensional, more transparent, and delivered with an effortlessness that lesser upsampling solutions cannot approach.

Network Streaming and Connectivity

The Vivaldi Upsampler features a wired network connection and streams high resolution audio files stored on a computer or network-attached storage via UPnP. An asynchronous USB input allows direct connection of a computer, supporting high resolution audio up to 192kS/s and DSD over PCM — and because the USB interface runs in asynchronous mode, the Vivaldi Upsampler is entirely immune to jitter from the host computer's clock, one of the most consequential sources of degradation in computer audio. An independently selectable array of digital inputs — RJ45, USB, AES, SPDIF, SDIF-2, and Toslink — ensures that no source in any system configuration is beyond the Upsampler's reach.

Phase-Locked Loop and Jitter Control

dCS were pioneers in the application of external clocking to digital audio systems, and the multi-stage Phase-Locked Loop system deployed in the Vivaldi Upsampler represents a world-beating standard for jitter control. Jitter — the timing uncertainty that corrupts digital audio at a level that is both measurable and audible — is addressed at every stage of the signal path, from incoming data to processed output. When used alongside the dCS Vivaldi Master Clock, the system achieves a level of temporal precision that stands without peer in the digital audio world.

Updateable by Design

The dCS 'soft' approach to programmable logic means that Vivaldi Upsampler's processing algorithms and feature set are not fixed at the point of manufacture — they are updateable, ensuring that each owner benefits from every advance dCS make in their ongoing research and development programme. New features, performance upgrades, and adaptations to emerging digital formats are all deliverable via software, protecting the long-term value of the investment in a way that conventional hardware cannot.

Control

Control of the Vivaldi Upsampler is designed to be as effortless as its sonic performance: the full-colour front panel menu, the Vivaldi Controller App, and the premium dCS remote control all provide complete access to every function. The Vivaldi Controller App extends that control to DAC inputs and volume, simplifying the management of a complex system to something that requires no compromise on ease of use.

Who Is It For?

The Vivaldi Upsampler is the natural centrepiece of a complete Vivaldi digital audio system — essential for those who wish to realise the full capability of the dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC and the dCS Vivaldi CD/SACD Transport MK2. For those approaching the dCS range for the first time, the dCS Rossini Apex DAC and dCS Bartók Apex represent equally serious starting points, and both are available to hear at our Norwich showroom.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. The Vivaldi Upsampler is a component that rewards time spent listening — and we have spent that time. Dave or Chris will walk you through the full Vivaldi system at our Norwich showroom and demonstrate exactly what the Upsampler contributes to the system as a whole.

Contact us at [email protected], call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.