I don’t think dCS will ever offer digital volume control on the Lina DAC, because if they do they will be offering a (cheaper) competitor for their own 2 channel line-up.
Besides, the Lina stack is meant for headphone listening, and a digital volume control on its DAC will interfere with the analog volume control of the Lina headamp.
Yes, but it could be a ON/OFF volume where you can have it fixed or variable for example. This is a feature they can offer in a speaker version of Lina , because the speaker market is wider vs headphone users. ( Like the Bartok exists as a headphone and none headphone version. )
And here is another new dCS Lina headamp review:
Today I received my new Audioquest Fire XLR interlinks, to replace my Audioquest Water interlinks, between my dCS Rossini DAC and dCS Lina headamp.
This is a huge step up. Much higher resolution, more neutral, very nice microdynamics, 3D spacial image, and it is probably called Fire because it has a great musical drive.
It is a solid, perfect surface silver, interconnect.
I am very happy with the Fire. Is anyone else using solid silver interlinks with similar good results?
Anyway, the Rossini can deliver more musical information if the interlink can handle it, and the Lina also picks that up, and delivers, so far into the Susvaras. Tomorrow I will check what this means for my Abyss 1266 TC.
Yep.
Audioquest WEL Signature XLR between DACs and preamp and between preamp and power amps since 2014. Also 4x 1m WEL Signature LS for biwiring.
In extensive listening tests with my DACs, preamp, power amps and speakers WEL Signature was always the clear winner.
Audioquest recently replaced WEL Signature XLR with Dragon XLR. I cannot afford to change.
Thanks Martin. I listened to the new Mythical Creatures series of interlinks by Audioquest, and I only preferrred the Dragon above the Fire, the outgoing cable of the Elements series. But as you say, way too expensive.
I, too, switched from Water to Fire a year ago. It was an unforgettable experience. I will say this: after that I realized that copper conductors, for me, are dead. Only silver. I got the confirmation of that once again when I replaced the copper cable of my HD 800S headphones with a litz silver cable. From the first second my mouth dropped open at the change in sound I heard. Now just pure silver.
And here is another review of the dCS Lina headamp:
Perspectives from ABYSS on the Lina DAC + Clock
Today this review of the dCS Lina DAC was published:
Lots of comments about Lina from the SoCal CanJam. Some loved it, some were underwhelmed. Many admit it was not an ideal environment with noise all around and power being an issue with so many electronics drawing power.
I really wish there were more comparisons to the Bartok. That is what I would be comparing it too. The Headfonics review is helpful. I can appreciate this comment in comparison (applies to the Lina DAC): slight dynamic range lift overall [with the clock]
Today this review of the dCS Lina Clock was published:
More comparisons included!
2022 Overall Product of the Year
dCS LINA SYSTEM
A new review of the dCS Lina system:
But unlike the Headfonics reviewer, HFN didn’t feel the clock added anything significant. I don’t know what to make of that, but I’m planning a visit to dCS early next year so should be able to find out for myself. I believe dCS have a dedicated ‘headphone room’.
To me it seems that the reviewer is not completely fit for this review.
He listened (only) with the Oppo PM-1 planar magnetics. Not exactly the cans the Lina system was made for.
He also states “Lina Network DAC is a version of the Vivaldi/Bartók, production-engineered into a new form factor”. Never heard of the Rossini? And the Vivaldi DAC has no network connection.
He also seems confused about the mappers (firmware) and the Apex upgrade (hardware):
dCS could also update the RingDAC’s mapping to align the Lina more closely with the latest APEX upgrades. None of this is a block to purchase now because any future revisions would be achieved ‘over air’ via the network.
You are right: a disappointing reviewer, and he is far from the only one. I recently read a Rossini Apex review in HiFi-Critic, and wrote to the author because I had several questions about the confusing description of the auditioning of mapper and filter options. I mentioned that somewhere on this site. The response I got more or less admitted that the tests had been done in a hurry, and it shed very little light on what had been written in the review. For example, numerical scores were given for filter (and, I think, mapper) selections in the review but what the reference mapper and filter were wasn’t recorded, I was told. I have rather strong opinijons about that!
I’m finding, in general, that some of the hi-fi review sites on the internet (from the bunch that can be found on dailyaudiophile.com) on many occasions publish more insightful and careful reviews than do the mainstream print publications. This is far from being universally true, but makes at least some of those sites worth keeping an eye on.
Just published by dCS:
Just published by dCS:
AV Forums review
