The buffered balanced inputs have a higher input impedance, so are suitable for connecting to any DAC regardless of how much drive the output stage has.
The unbuffered balanced inputs have a low input impedance. They are intended for use with dCS DACs, and other third-party DACs with high drive capability. The unbuffered inputs will provide the highest quality.
I’m a headphone only user and have the Bartok & Rossini clock with a Cayin ha 300b headphone amp. Presumably my dac & clock are superior in sound quality alone verses the new Lina dac & clock ? My cayin headphone amp was roughly half the price of the new Lina headphone amp so should be better. Would this be the way to go to upgrade in my set up ?
I have the Rossini DAC + Clock, and use headphones a lot. I have the Focal Utopia and the Abyss AB 1266 Phi TC. Currently I use the Benchmark HPA4 headamp/ line amp.
This is what Abyss says about the new dCS Lina headamp:
The Lina headphone amplifier is one of the best sounding solid state amps we’ve encountered. If it excites the likes of us here at ABYSS, imagine what it will do for you and your system. Top shelf design and performance, build quality second to none, and a sonic character that finds itself at ease with nearly any high performance headphone, this is a no brainer for those who seek the finest.
@James Since the manuals are not on-line yet, I have another question about the Lina headamp: where is the adjustable gain switch located? I do not see it on the pics.
Choice without compromise
Different kinds of headphones require differing amounts of voltage and current, depending on their efficiency and impedance. The Lina Headphone Amplifier is specifically designed to cope with widely varying loads and deliver an outstanding performance with a huge range of headphones - whatever their individual requirements or characteristics. This is achieved through a range of features and factors, including a low output impedance design, low noise floor, wide dynamic range, and an adjustable gain switch which removes the risk of hiss when listening with highly sensitive equipment.
That is an interesting product. The Bartok system doesn’t come with a clock even. Do you think the Lina clock can be used on Bartok? And how would it compare to the Rossini clock?
Interesting. Where can the customer listen to them in the Netherlands? Because you sell them directly just like Roon I saw. They don’t even have a regular shop.
The Lina system is very interesting. However, it does not allow listening to electrostatic headphones. Maybe dCS could one day offer a dCS electrostatic amplifier,
As I prefer the sound qualities of electrostatics, I reached musical nirvana last year with the combination of my dCS Rossini + master clock (soon to be APEX), a WooAudio 3ES Elite tube amplifier (with Takatsuki tubes) and recently the marvelous STAX SR-X9000.
… no worries! 
