dCS Vivaldi Upsampler

The dCS Vivaldi Upsampler occupies a unique and indispensable role within the Vivaldi system — it is the component that takes every digital source, whether from disc, network, or external input, and processes it through dCS's proprietary upsampling algorithms before passing it to the Vivaldi DAC. At £28,900, it represents a level of signal processing that transforms the performance of every source connected to it.

Upsampling and Digital Processing

The Vivaldi Upsampler accepts PCM signals at up to 24-bit/192kHz and DSD up to DSD128, and processes them through dCS's own upsampling technology before delivery to the DAC. The upsampling algorithms employed here are not generic — they are the product of decades of research into the mathematics of digital audio, and they are implemented in dCS's own programmable logic rather than off-the-shelf silicon. The difference this makes to low-level detail retrieval and the coherence of the musical picture is profound.

Network Streaming

The Vivaldi Upsampler incorporates a full network streaming module, supporting UPnP/DLNA from a NAS drive or music server, as well as internet radio. It accepts digital inputs from a connected transport — such as the dCS Vivaldi CD/SACD Transport MK2 — and from external digital sources, making it the natural hub around which a complete Vivaldi system is organised.

Clocking and Synchronisation

When used with the dCS Vivaldi Master Clock, the Upsampler operates as part of a fully synchronised signal chain — every stage of processing locked to a single external timing reference. Jitter, which accumulates at every stage of a digital system and manifests as a subtle blurring of transients and spatial information, is effectively eliminated. The dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC downstream receives a signal of extraordinary precision.

Updateable by Design

Like every Vivaldi component, the Upsampler uses dCS's 'soft' programmable logic — meaning its processing algorithms and feature set can be updated as dCS's engineering advances. Several significant updates have been delivered to Vivaldi owners since the system launched, and that process continues.

What It Does to the Sound

The addition of the Vivaldi Upsampler to a system built around the Vivaldi DAC is not a marginal refinement — it is a transformation. The noise floor drops. Spatial information becomes more precise and more believable. The sense of ease with which the system handles complex musical passages increases markedly. Every source — disc, stream, or external input — benefits equally.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Vivaldi Upsampler is for those who have committed to the Vivaldi system and wish to realise its full potential — it is not an optional addition but the component that completes the architecture. If you are considering the dCS range at an earlier entry point, the dCS Rossini Apex DAC and dCS Rossini Master Clock offer a similarly coherent system approach.

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 we have lived with and listened to seriously — come in to our Norwich showroom and Dave or Chris will demonstrate exactly what it adds to the system and help you plan the right configuration for your sources.

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.