Consolidate/sell my headphone system for a DCS Bartok?

Ianb52 The dac and headphone section of the Bartok alone are stellar performers and the rest is DCS ‘s revelatory design with this entry level product.
I have no opinion on Audeze own amplifier I’ve never listened to it however the PS Audio senior dac isn’t close to the same legume as DCS entry level dac that’s in the Bartok . Though it sounds from your response you haven’t listened to a Bartok 
 
Im just suggesting if your goals are to long term ownership of said component this the one to look into .

in_shore: So your vote on my original question is a definite "yes". What would be your recommendation for dealing with stored files with highest audio quality? (I am quite wary of garbage coming in from digital inputs.) It seems like the Zenith is on back order so I may have time to change my mind.

I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to the Bartok, and unfortunately I dont foresee the near term possibility without purchasing it first.

I got a chance to listen to a Bartok today, and while I was impressed, I wasn't that impressed. Unfortunately since it wasn't in my own system with my own power cables, source it wasn't an apples to apples comparison.

I found the Bartok to be extremely transparent, with almost perfect separation, control and balance, extreme detail and space, and a very wide soundstage. It was extremely good at conveying the music performance. On the other hand, it had an unpleasant glare that I really didn't like (seems to be from the ethernet), was a bit too clean, and the headphone amp was quite underpowered in single ended mode for my Meze Empyreans. I had to use the highest output setting and I was still having to set the volume around 80% or higher.

We swapped in a balanced Transparent headphone cable which greatly improved the sound. With the addition of a Transparent power cable things also got a lot better, and with Transparent ethernet it got a little better as well. This was getting closer to my own setup, but Transparent vs Shunyata NR cables, not having my Denali, and ethernet vs high end USB all confounded things a lot. 

I came away feeling that actually the network cable and source really do matter in this instance, and that it won't be an opportunity to save money. This is a bummer, because not needing an expensive server and cables was a key point for me. Like any DAC, getting a decent sound seems totally dependent on power, cables, vibration control, etc. 

When I came home I found that my own setup with PS Audio and MZ3 was richer with tonal color, better texture, more full in the low end, and didn't have that weird glare. The only other DAC I've heard that glare from is the Chord Hugo 2.

It seems like the best combination here is probably the Bartok with my own power cables, vibration feet, an upgraded fuse, and keeping the LTA MZ3 amplifier. Bartok was wider, but couldn't hold a candle to the MZ3 or The King in single ended mode with the 1/4" headphone cable I own. Even my Mytek Manhattan II performed better for unbalanced than the Bartok. Only with an $1800 balanced cable did it compete, and I feel like it still needed a little more power.  

You should really ask these headphone question at a place like https://www.head-fi.org/

They steered this first time headphone buyer to an amazing headphone, Meze Empyrean, and 2 great headphone amps, Benchmark HPA4 and Bryston BHA-1. I also use the Benchmark DAC3B and the WyWire Platinum XLR ($400 for 5 feet) for the Meze.

A big audio magazine review of the Bartok compared it with a Mytek and the Bartok did not come across as a world beater. I think the review was in Stereophile.

Thanks. The Empyreans are what I use. Great headphones, although I hope to snag a pair of LCD-5s whenever those come out.

The Bartok DAC is a lot better than the Mytek, but the Manhattan II headphone amp is really good. Even my expensive amps are only marginally better, most just a difference in harmonics and power. I sometimes use the Mytek HP amp with other DACs because it is so neutral. I think the SQ of the Bartok headphone amp *could* be better than the Mytek, but in single ended mode it doesn’t have as much power.