dCS
Lina Network DAC
$13,650.00 USDFeatures
dCS Mosaic platform supports hi-res streaming via Roon, TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, Deezer, Internet Radio and Apple AirPlay
Flexible firmware provides unlimited scope for future upgrades, with new features and enhancements delivered via simple software updates
Patented dCS Expanse technology offers enhanced headphone optimization optimisation, for a more natural and immersive experience when listening to a wide range of stereo recordings
Touch screen UI with customizable customisable menu allows listeners to easily control playback and adjust system settings
All-new electronic and mechanical design delivers a vast range of features in a compact and elegant format
What's in the Box?
Lina Network DAC
$13,650.00
The dCS Lina Network DAC is designed for audiophiles and music enthusiasts who demand the best in sound quality, performance, and connectivity. With its wide dynamic range, crisp, clear playback, open, expansive soundstage, and tonal neutrality, the Lina Network DAC provides a deeply natural, detailed, and musical sound that will transform your listening experience. The Lina Network DAC is a culmination of more than three years of intensive development, and to celebrate the Lina system's continued success, the Lina Network DAC is now available in two finishes—silver or black. dCS strives to create versatile, premium, and high-performing audio gear and the Lina Network DAC is a testament to that. The unit is compatible with all digital audio formats, supports hi-res streaming from many music streaming services, and is equipped with dCS' renowned Ring DAC system and digital processing platform. Complete your audio system and rediscover your favorite songs in breathtaking fidelity.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: We recommend pairing the dCS Lina Network DAC with the Silver Dragon Interconnect Cable for connecting the amp to other digital audio devices. Sold in pairs, our interconnect cables offer a remarkable solution where noise isolation is key. The Silver Dragon Network Cable will provide a stable ethernet connection to the Lina Network DAC for music streaming and data transmission. The solid-core silver conductors in the cable provide high speed, low latency, and low jitter-perfect bit rate communication between audio components. For connecting the Lina Master Clock to the Network DAC we recommend our Silver Dragon Coax Digital Cable with BNC connectors. You'll get the best possible digital transmission when timing matters the most. Lastly, our Silver Dragon USB Cable will provide the most stable connection for digital transmission between your source device and Network DAC. Our USB cables have been optimized for audio transmission of large high-resolution audio files, so you can enjoy your music with the utmost fidelity.
Features
- dCS Ring DAC system and Digital Processing Platform ensure audio is reproduced with absolute integrity, for a highly detailed, musical and deeply natural sound
- dCS Mosaic platform supports hi-res streaming via Roon, TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, Deezer, Internet Radio and Apple AirPlay
- Flexible firmware provides unlimited scope for future upgrades, with new features and enhancements delivered via simple software updates
- Patented dCS Expanse technology offers enhanced headphone optimization
optimisation, for a more natural and immersive experience when listening to a wide range of stereo recordings - Touch screen UI with customizable
customisablemenu allows listeners to easily control playback and adjust system settings - All-new electronic and mechanical design delivers a vast range of features in a compact and elegant format
Purpose-Built Design
The dCS Lina Network DAC's design combines renowned dCS technologies and innovations for a high-performing unit. The Lina Network DAC features dCS' first touchscreen display, a streamlined user interface for easier navigation, and a powerful flex-ridged circuit board. With an elegant and tactile design the Lina Network DAC is a versatile source that delivers spectacular sound, however you listen.
Crafted from solid aluminum—a material with excellent acoustic properties—the Lina Network Streaming DAC has been meticulously designed to deliver the finest possible sound with the lowest levels of distortion and noise. dCS used a single piece of aluminum rather than several pieces bolted together to ensure all electronic components within the DAC perform to the best of their abilities. This unique design approach reflects dCS' purpose-built ethos to deliver users an elegant and timeless unit with the highest levels of performance and reliability.
Every aspect of the unit's design—from its solid aluminum chassis to its internal fixings, and proprietary hardware and software—is carefully engineered and tested to ensure you get the best possible listening experience and the highest levels of quality and reliability. The unit is configured to work with the Lina Headphone Amplifier and Lina Master Clock, creating a full headphone system that can be stacked or arranged horizontally. With its vast digital inputs and analog outputs, from 3-pin balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA to USB, S/PDIF BNC, Toslink, and AES/EBU, the Lina Network DAC seamlessly integrates into your existing high-end audio system with other digital sources and word clocks.
Effortless HiFi Listening
The Lina Network DAC has been designed with a unique headphone optimization technology to deliver headphone listeners the best sound reproduction. Dubbed Expanse, this headphone processing platform offers an enhanced version of crossfeed optimization. With a multi-stage processing mode, Expanse optimizes audio while preserving the reverberation in a recording. Expanse can be accessed via two optional settings to provide a heightened sense of realism when listening to a wide range of genres and recordings.
The streamlined user experience of the Lina Network DAC allows users to easily navigate system settings, select music, and manage the playback experience. dCS' dedicated app, the Mosaic app offers an intuitive, painless way to browse and access music from multiple sources and digital libraries. The unit has compatibility with services like Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Roon (RoonReady), Spotify, Internet Radio, Apple AirPlay 2, and much more, the Lina Network DAC makes it easy to enjoy your favorite music. Enjoy tracks in high-resolution audio file formats like FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and MQA, as well as native DSD upsampling (DSD64, DSD128). Whatever track you choose, the Lina Network DAC will deliver a detailed, natural, and emotionally compelling listening experience.
Advanced Technology for a High-Performance DAC
Inside the Lina Network DAC is a powerful flex-ridged circuit board housing over 2,000 individual components working together to deliver an incredibly clear signal path. The Lina circuit board was intentionally designed to deliver the full range of dCS DAC technologies—including the Ring DAC system, Digital Processing Platform, clocking system, and integrated streamer—in a more compact footprint without compromising on sound. Using a single circuit board, rather than several boards connected together, results in better electromagnetic performance, contributing to better overall system performance.
The dCS Ring DAC is a core component of the Lina Network DAC's performance. The Ring DAC system employs a discrete, multi-built architecture to ensure high-precision digital-to-analog conversion. The Digital Processing Platform is found in all dCS DACs from Vivaldi APEX to the Rossini and dCS Bartok APEX. The platform takes a digital audio signal and optimizes it for conversion to analogue.
What's In the Box?
- dCS Lina Network DAC
- 1x Mains Cable
- 2x XLR Cable (0.5m)
- 1x Ethernet Cable (2m)
- 1x Power Link Cable (0.5m)
FAQ
What digital formats does the dCS Lina Network DAC support?
The dCS Lina Network DAC supports a wide range of digital formats including PCM up to 24-bit/384kHz, DSD up to DSD128, and MQA for high-resolution audio streaming. It also supports FLAC, WAV, and AIFF.
Is the dCS Lina Network DAC compatible with Roon?
Yes, the dCS Lina Network DAC is RoonReady, meaning it can be seamlessly integrated into a Roon-based audio system for high-quality music playback and management.
Can the dCS Lina Network DAC be controlled remotely?
Yes, the dCS Lina Network DAC can be controlled using the dCS Mosaic Control app, available on iOS and Android devices. The unit can also be controlled with third-party control systems like Roon or UPnP/DLNA control points.
Is the dCS Lina Network DAC firmware upgradeable?
Yes, the firmware can be updated via USB or network connection to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with the latest digital formats and features.
Can the dCS Lina Network DAC be used with headphones?
While the dCS Lina Network DAC is primarily designed as a standalone DAC, it can be paired with a separate headphone amplifier to drive high-quality headphones.
| Product Dimensions / Weight | 121.5mm (H) x 220mm (W) x 339mm (D) 7.4kg |
|---|---|
| Shipping Dimensions / Weight | 320mm (H) x 360mm (W) x 530mm (D) / 10.3kg |
| Finish | Black machined aluminium with crystal LED display |
| Electronics | dCS Ring DAC and Digital Processing Platform on flex ridged PCB |
| Stream Unlimited S800 | |
| Automatic voltage switching | |
| Digital Inputs | 2 x AES/EBU on 3 pin XLR 44.1-384kS/s |
| 1 x S/PDIF BNC Coax 44.1-192kS/s | |
| 1 x S/PDIF on RCA 44.1-192kS/s | |
| 1 x Toslink 44.1-96kS/s | |
| 1 x USB Type B 44.1-384kS/s, PCM and DSD, DSDx2 in Async Mode | |
| 1 x USB Type A connector for mass storage devices (navigated using Mosaic) | |
| Analogue Inputs | 1 x stereo pair 3 pin balanced XLR |
| 1 x stereo pair unbalanced RCA | |
| Network Interface | RJ-45 connector |
| Streaming Compatibility | UPnP |
| Supports the following platforms and services: | Qobuz |
| Deezer | |
| Tidal | |
| Internet Radio | |
| Spotify | |
| Apple AirPlay 2 (support at 44.1 or 48kS/s) | |
| RoonReady | |
| Sample frequencies and formats | 44.1-384kHz |
| Supports the following audio formats and sample rates | DSD 64, 128 |
| Native DSD + DoP (input dependent) | |
| FLAC, WAV, AIFF, MQA | |
| Upsampling | Multi-stage DXD oversampling with switchable DSD |
| Word Clock | 2 x Word Clock inputs on 75 Ω BNC connectors |
| Will lock to 44.1-192kHz | |
| Filters | PCM mode: 2 filters + MQA |
| DSD mode: 4 progressive filters | |
| Crossfeed Settings | Standard crossfeed |
| dCS Enhanced crossfeed (E1) | |
| dCS Enhanced crossfeed (E2) | |
| Power | IEC inlet & power switch on rear panel |
| 90-120v & 220-240v, 50/60Hz nominal | |
| Automatic voltage switching | |
| Power synchronised with other dCS control link products (RJ45) | |
| Frequency Response (set to filter 1) | Fs = 44.1 or 48kS/s +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz |
| Fs = 88.2 or 96kS/s +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz -3dB @ >38kHz | |
| Fs = 176.4 or 192kS/s +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz -3dB @ >67kHz | |
| Fs = 352.8 or 384kS/s +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz -3dB @ >100kHz | |
| DSD64 +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz -3dB @ >90kHz | |
| DSD128 +/-0.1dB, 10Hz-20kHz -3dB @ >100kHz | |
| Residual Noise (6v output setting) | 16-bit data: Better than –96dB0, 20Hz-20kHz unweighted |
| 24-bit data: Better than –113dB0, 20Hz-20kHz unweighted | |
| Spurious Responses | Better than –105dB0, 20Hz-20kHz |
| L-R Crosstalk | Better than –115dB0, 20Hz-20kHz |
| Certification | CE / EMC |
| CCC | |
| KC | |
| FCC | |
| Apple, Spotify, TuneIn, MQA & Roon certified | |
| Included with your Lina Streaming DAC | 1 x mains cable |
| 2 x XLR [0.5m] | |
| 1 x Ethernet cable [2m] | |
| 1 x Power Link cable [0.5m] |