New Features and "a Major Performance Upgrade" for dCS's Lina 2.0

by The Audio Beat | October 20, 2023

fter launching the 1.1 update to its Lina network DAC (right, top unit, $13,650; Lina clock is bottom unit, $7750), which is one part of the Lina headphone system, dCS began working on a substantial software upgrade, dubbed 2.0, which adds several new features that enhance sonic performance, aid ease of use, and give listeners more control over playback. The 2.0 upgrade for the Lina DAC is now available free of charge.

Lina 2.0 brings three major performance enhancements. A pair of new mapper settings -- first introduced in the dCS Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók ranges -- enable the dCS Ring DAC to operate at double speed (5.6 or 6.14MS/s). Listeners can now choose from double-speed settings or the original dCS mapper to suit their preference. Additionally, a new DSD128 upsampling feature, also in the Vivaldi, Rossini and Bartók DACs and players, allows the Lina DAC to convert PCM audio to DSD at a greater speed, pushing noise higher in the frequency range -- "to somewhere above 40kHz," according to dCS. This "can result in improved spatial presentation and a more natural, nuanced sound." The final performance upgrade is the inclusion of 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 for the Lina DAC in line with dCS's Rossini and Bartók DACs.

Also new for the 2.0 upgrade is an additional balance control that allows listeners to adjust left-right balance when listening with headphones or loudspeakers. A user interface enhancement offers the option to increase text size on the Lina DAC’s LED display, making it easier to read track titles when listening to the product from a distance. Finally, it is now possible to control the Lina DAC with a dCS remote control or generic remote.

More from dCS: "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."