DCS Bartok APEX or LINA and master clock

Yes I heard the Rossini Apex it makes the old Bartok sound like a squishy toy.

Apex is 3 improvements. The processors are twice as fast, the software is sleeker and analog stage improvements. It’s night/day. It’s more natural and less digititus.

I would upgrade the Bartok or save 40k for the Rossini Apex and buy a better DAC.

don’t master clock anything until you can upgrade the fundamentals.

the Lina is a bauble for headphone children to upgrade from their Chinese made Holo May that isn’t as dynamic.

OR you can just buy a Mola Mola Tambaqui and sell your Bartok and save thousands and thousands and have a better DAC then the Bartok Apex will ever be!

Geez, some serious hate in the Bartok and dCS here. I have the Bartok (non-Apex) and Rossini Apex, and can assure you they both sound amazing, and definitely not bright. Is there more air and a little more detail in the Rossini, sure. But if you weren’t listening to them side by side, they’d both be incredible. 

What should be the expected cost (USD) to upgrade my Bartok? Purchased last Sep 22 from a dealer. I’m being quoted $5K. Is that in-line? Or is there better pricing available?

As far as I’ve read, the Lina isn’t a stripped down Bartok. It seems to be an improvement over the non Apex Bartok.

Likely not an improvement over the Apex though. But I'm not sure.

I know this is off topic but I can’t help but notice the large quantities of Bartok dacs that have been on the used market this year. Seems like a large migration away from it. Wondering if the cost of the Apex upgrade vs the Lina is driving this or have people just grown tired and are moving on?