Just published: a dCS Lina DAC review, but now in a 2-channel system:
The companion review of the Lina in a headphone system.
I see Steve Huff and Tom Martin from The Absolute Sound using Lina for 2-channel and that confuses me. I thought Rossini should be used. It makes me wonder if Lina vs Rossini is it just a different taste or somewhat identical. Confused. My dealer said that definitely do not use Lina as it is for headphone.
If you read the above review then you will see your questions answered. If it is too long:
The Lina worked as perfectly in my two channel system as it did in my headphone system. I fired up Roon and let the music flow. The sound was so engaging and inspiring that I had to write it up as one of my great audio experiences of the summer. The Lina Network DAC shares many similarities with the original Rossini and Vivaldi, that’s how good it is!
After reading it. I can see the appeal of it. Even without mapper it can be a solid source to build on. I am thinking to trade in my ND555 for a NAP500 to have classic Naim pre+power and a dCS streamer. Lina might be a cheaper choice to Rossini maybe.
Lina certainly is a cheaper choice to Rossini. But mind you, the reviewer wrote
By original he means non-APEX. The Lina will not sound the same, but it has similarities with Rossini non-APEX.
As you point out Erno, the hardware in the Lina DAC is definitely proper, 100% dCS and so is the measured and sonic performance. Same high spec components used throughout - including the resistor & latch array in the Ring DAC, same clock crystals, same analogue output stage as original Vivaldi & Rossini, same streaming capabilities, same inputs and outputs, and the same FPGA and software upgradability built in.
The software update back in March for the Lina brought the unit in line with the rest of the range in terms of feature set, adding in a digital volume control to go along with the variable output voltage so the unit could be connected directly to a power amp in a 2-channel setting (or to better gain stage in a headphone system).
We’ve been having a blast recently getting Lina installed in dealers’ reference demo systems and hearing how well it punches above it’s weight. We also have a number of reviews coming soon featuring Lina in a 2-channel setup, so keep your eyes peeled.
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It’s amazing in a 2 ch system. I have the clock with mine. Never sees any headphones. Why? It allowed me to get components one at a time as I could afford. Perfectly happy running to a Pass Labs XP-32
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The review was before Lina 2.0. It would be interesting to compare the Lina DAC with the clock in a 2-ch setup with other dCS APEX DACs using good interconnects and speaker cables (in the $15-$20K range for the cables in total). The reviewer mentions Transparent Audio interconnects but he doesn’t say which ones (their most expensive balanced interconnects start at €52,500 and the speaker cables at €105,600).
I’m sure there will be a discernible SQ difference in an audiophile setting but in a living room with bookshelf speakers the aesthetics of the Lina could make it the preferred choice.
Hi @Donald_D,
One of the perks of my job is that I have had the opportunity to do just this in the demo room in Swavesey. I have not tried all the permutations (i.e. with/without master clock) but to my ears LINA 2.0 sits somewhere between the BartĂłk (pre-APEX) and BartĂłk APEX in SQ.
The system in the room at the time consisted of the d’Agostino M400 MxV amps, Wilson Alexx V speakers and Transparent Opus cables**. While these products are way out of the LINA’s price range they are not a million miles from the system Chris Connaker uses (IIRC he has Constellation Mono amps, Transparent Ultra cables and Wilson Alexia Vs). This system does provide a nice wide window through which to hear the differences between DACs.
If you’re interested in hearing the difference for yourself your dCS dealer should be able to set up a similar comparison for you (with the possible exception of the non-APEX Bartók which is no longer available).
** I should just point out as some place almost runic significance in the ancillary equipment in the demo room that these are the products we have by far the biggest overlap in distribution with worldwide. We have “three of everything” (power amps, speakers, cable looms) so we can accommodate different visitor requests. Bear in mind that the vast majority of visitors to the demo room are our distributors and dealers.
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Hi Andrew, thank you, that’s very helpful. Somewhere between the Bartók (pre-APEX) and Bartók APEX in SQ is what I was hoping for. I’ll definitely go for the Lina, again, when I decide on a 2-channel system. Aesthetics matter to me and the Lina is nice to look at, too. It’ll hopefully be in the next year or two. I’m looking for speakers that don’t need to be played at such high volume, if there are any, because my neighbors have complained about my Devialet Phantoms. I’ve set my eyes on Rowen speakers from Switzerland now but am waiting for a review and then I’ll eventually ask to listen to them.
Depending on your musical tastes and the size of your room I would also give classic BBC LS3/5A studio monitors (several licensees through the years: Rogers, Spendor, Harbeth, Goodmans etc. AFAIK Falcon is the only brand with current production) a listen.
No deep bass to annoy neighbors (-3dB at 80Hz IIRC) but what you get above that is incredible. They have average sensitivity but a very kind impedance curve, and best of all they are designed for positioning against walls, which virtually no other modern speakers are, which aids positioning no end, especially in smaller spaces. Generally easy to find second hand and they hold their value so be prepared to pay ÂŁ1-2K. Many regard them as unsurpassed at anything close to the price.
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@Donald_D I will add MoFi to this who recently added the speaker design to their range. US market only although I do not know where you are situated. Much cheaper than the Falcon Gold Badge. However the later has drivers that replicate the originals. The guys at Falcon designed the KEF units in the BBC original when they worked at KEF back in the day.
The BBC LS3/5A studio monitors sound really interesting. The reason I set my eyes on the Rowen, actually, is because they are also designed for positioning against the wall. I’ll do some research on the BBC monitors and compare them to the Rowen M10 monitors. They have this LMT technology. I’m not sure if it’s just marketing but it sounds intriguing.
For the bass and the neighbors, I’m thinking about a McIntosh 8-band equalizer. The neighbors complained nicely and they don’t mind the music at certain hours. The equalizer will give me more flexibility. The only drawback is that I’ll need another pair of interconnects which means another €6K or so for Cardas Clear Beyonds from the Lina DAC to the McIntosh equalizer and then interconnects from the equalizer to the amp. Well worth it though. The Lina DAC with the Cardas XLRs to the Lina Amp is on another level. I also have lower end interconnects and compared.
Generally I am not keen on equalizers for sonic reasons. You may be better in ensuring that the bookshelf speakers are decoupled as far as possible from their location so that the bass frequencies are not so easily transferred to your neighbours. It will also improve the sound. Something from IsoAcoustics may fit the bill. You won’t get much below 70Hz with LS35/As anyway and not at high levels.
Of course if you live in an apartment like me you have to have some discipline over listening at times inappropriate for your neighbours. Of course the full Lina will provide an ideal headphone source for those times 
.
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I’ll consider it. Thanks.
Also these companies currently produce the LS3/5A:
- Graham Audio Chartwell LS3/5A
- Musical Fidelity LS3/5A
- Stirling Broadcast LS3/5A
[Edit]: Not all available LS3/5As are produced under a BBC license.
There are many things to know about these gems:
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A friend of mine has 23 different pairs of LS3/5a’s 
. All makes and variants with no duplicates.
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Now that Pete has mentioned it, how bad can it be if the McIntosh equalizer sits between the DAC and the amp and is occasionally used for the bass with everything else turned to neutral most of the time? Will there be sonic distortion if all the settings on the equalizer are turned to neutral or off just because it’s in the signal chain?
Extra connections, extra interconnects. Not if you can avoid it in my book. Of course we all may find the need to compromise but I would revert to a parametric type equaliser as my final option, not the first.
We don’t know exactly what the zero setting means. Does it fully remove the equaliser or (more likely) zero only indicates a minimum setting with the signal still sent through the equaliser’s circuitry?
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I’m a huge fan!
Don’t forget the Harbeth P3ESR XD - although not an LS35a they are the same form factor and measure much better than any of the currently made LS3/5A. Subjectively, there is lots to choose from!
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