dCS Lina Network DAC 2.0 Upgrade!

Hi All,

Just a quick blog sharing some exciting news from dCS!

Lina 2.0: A major performance upgrade for the Lina Network DAC

Intro: Lina 2.0 brings a range of new features, including new Mapper settings, filter options, and balance controls, to the Lina Network DAC

Over the past 12 months, we’ve released several performance upgrades and new features for dCS owners. We delivered a major firmware upgrade for the dCS Bartók, and launched the next generation Bartók APEX. We also made our Expanse crossfeed feature available to dCS Rossini owners, and added digital volume control and volume lock to the dCS Lina Network DAC, allowing listeners to use the DAC as a pre-amplifier in two-channel audio setups.

This upgrade reflects our commitment to continuous product development. We are dedicated to enhancing the performance of our products throughout their lifespan, releasing new features and innovations as we develop them so that listeners can participate in our latest discoveries.

In addition to launching the Lina 1.1 update in March this year, we have been working on a substantial software upgrade for the Lina Network DAC.

The Lina Network DAC 2.0 update brings several new features that are designed to enhance performance, aid ease of use, and give listeners more control over their playback experience.

It is available to new and existing Lina Network DAC owners and is provided free of charge.

Highlights include:

Two new Mapper settings

Lina 2.0 brings two new Mapper settings to the Lina Network DAC. These settings – first introduced in the dCS Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók ranges – enable the Ring DAC to operate at double speed [5.6 or 6.14MS/s].

These additional settings are the result of careful refinement and continuous development. Since releasing the original Mapper [now MAP 2], we have continued to refine our process and improve jitter performance. We are now able to offer the option of a higher ring rate – a development which, in turn, allows us to move matching noise further out of the audible band – along with other improvements and refinements to our mapping algorithm. Listeners can now choose from double-speed settings or the original dCS Mapper to suit their preference.

DSD128 Upsampling

A new DSD128 upsampling feature, as seen in the dCS Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók DACs and Players, allows the Lina Network DAC to convert PCM audio to DSD at a greater speed, pushing noise higher in the frequency range [to somewhere above 40kHz]. This, in turn, allows the use of gentler filters. Depending on a listener’s music choice, this can result in improved spatial presentation and a more natural, nuanced sound.

New PCM and DSD Filters

All dCS DACs provide a range of carefully designed filter options, allowing listeners to select the setting that best suits their music and preferences.

The Lina Network DAC launched in 2022 with a choice of two filters, F1 and F2, for ease of use. The 2.0 update brings four new PCM filters, plus an additional DSD filter [F5] with a relaxed roll-off and smoother phase response.

This brings the number of filters available with the Lina Network DAC in line with our Rossini and Bartók DACs, and gives listeners even more control over their system’s performance.

Balance Controls

An additional balance control function allows listeners to adjust left and right balance when listening with headphones or loudspeakers.

This means Lina Network DAC owners can now adjust the volume of each channel in isolation, and compensate for volume differences between left and right channels – whether due to system challenges such as non-ideal speaker placement, or auditory imbalances – for a more natural presentation of sound.

Text Size Settings for Distance Listening

A user interface update offers the option to increase text size on the Lina Network DAC’s LED display, making it easier to read track titles when listening to the product from a distance.

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Remote Control Support

It is now possible to control the Lina Network DAC with a dCS remote control or generic remote. See the Lina Network DAC 2.0 release notes for more information.

The upgrade builds on our vision to create a versatile DAC that excels in a vast range of audio setups – including headphone and loudspeaker-based systems – and deliver all the benefits listeners have come to expect from dCS. It is the result of extensive development and is made possible through Lina’s flexible architecture.

We’ll release further information on our 2.0 software, and the features included with this upgrade – including more detailed insights into dCS filters and mappers – over the next few weeks. For now, we hope listeners take great pleasure exploring all this upgrade has to offer, and the performance advantages it brings.

The dCS Mosaic Control app has been updated to provide support for Lina Network DAC 2.0, along with new features available for all dCS devices with network streaming capabilities. For more information, see our Mosaic 1.42 release notes.