Inside Varèse: The Mono DACs

dCS Varèse is the culmination of a multi-year project to advance the state-of-the-art in digital playback. It features some of the most complex electronic, mechanical and software designs we’ve ever created, and brings what we believe is a new standard in digital audio performance.

Over the next few months, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the system’s sound and design, and its bespoke technologies, from ACTUS, an audio, control and timing interface, to dCS Tomix, a patented clocking protocol. We'll also discuss the Varèse User Experience and the features we have introduced to make listening even more intuitive.

First up, we’re sharing a more detailed look at two integral components: the Varèse Mono DACs, with first-look images offering a rare glimpse beneath their casework…

The Varèse Mono DACs are responsible for converting digital audio signals into analogue. As we’ve discussed in previous posts and technical papers, DACs are a fundamental part of all digital music systems. In a high-performance audio setup, DACs tend to be paired with high-end speakers and amplifiers, and are often referred to as the 'source' component. It is the DAC that generates the musical signals that drive a system’s pre- or power amps – in other words, generating the signals that we perceive as sound. 

dCS has been developing DACs for over 30 years – first for professional music studios, and later for home listening – utilising an invention known as the Ring DAC™. The Ring DAC was created by dCS engineers, and its unique design has enabled us to convert audio signals with exceptional fidelity and ultra-low distortion. This, in turn, means we are able to resolve and present more fine detail during playback. 

The effects of this are wide ranging, but benefits include more natural-sounding voices and instruments, a clearer sense of the soundstage and location of individual instruments or performers, and a more engaging experience overall. In many instances, listeners have described feeling ‘closer to their music’, or as if they are being drawn ‘further in' to a recording when listening with dCS – an experience that we believe is down to our focus on preserving the integrity of audio signals throughout the entire signal path, and reducing distortion to vanishing levels.

The Ring DAC exists at the heart of all dCS DACs, and its design is subject to continual refinement. We’ve made many updates to its architecture and operation over the years, improving its bandwidth and capabilities, and Varèse presents the most radical change to its design in a generation. 

Each Varèse Mono DAC features a new iteration of the Ring DAC - the Differential Ring DAC. This new version features twice as many current sources as previous designs, and employs a differential mode of operation, where one set of current sources is run in phase and the other in antiphase.

Each DAC also features a suite of new mechanical and hardware innovations, from optimised transformers to enhanced power supplies. All DAC operations are carried out on a single circuit board, an approach also seen in the Lina Network DAC (a component that was informed by research and development work on Varèse). The dCS Tomix clocking protocol, meanwhile, ensures that the dual Mono DACs operate in perfect synchronicity.

Together, these developments have enabled us to further enhance DAC performance and in turn, the musical experience we provide.

Each listener’s encounter is unique, but those who’ve spent time with Varèse have reported an even greater sense of greater immediacy and physical presence – giving them a stronger feeling of being transported to the real musical event (you can read initial impressions from dCS owner Paul Soor here, Part-Time Audiophile writer and dCS owner Mohammad Samji here, and Audiophile Style’s Chris Connacher here).

In measured terms, we have been able to significantly reduce noise floor by around 5dB, whilst further increasing linearity.

The advances we’ve made in D-A conversion have also enabled us to improve the performance of other dCS products – in particular, our Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók DACs – via a major hardware upgrade (APEX) which stemmed from work on Varèse.

Varèse builds on a long tradition of innovation at dCS, and it reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest levels of fidelity to bring people a deeper connection with the music they love. 

Creating the Varèse Mono DACs has allowed us to deliver sound with greater accuracy than ever before. Our engineers have developed a suite of products and technologies to support the Mono DACs, from the Varèse Master Clock to the Varèse Core. The result is a music playback system that offers unrivalled D-A conversion, combined with an intuitive, engaging way to browse and connect with your music. The Varèse Mono DACs provide the all-important musical source, whilst our Varèse User Interface, Remote Control and Mosaic ACTUS app work together to provide instant access to your music and system controls. All this is supported with dCS ACTUS – an interface designed to remove complexities and enable simple setup and installation. 

We'll be sharing more 'Inside Varèse' content soon. For now, you can find out more about the Varèse system here and view a list of Varèse dealers and distributors here. 

“I was there with the musicians, living their feelings and aggression as well as their human benevolence”

Janine Elliot, Hi-Fi Pig on dCS Varèse

“In some magical way, the Varèse presented micro-timing information that was, previously unknown to me, multilayered with colour and texture - dramatically elevating my emotional response to the music”

Paul Soor

"The Varese had this addictive, relaxed reproduction that made me not want to leave the listening seat”

Mohammed Samji