Network Audio Players/Servers

Alongside the considerable gains in flexibility and subtle gains in performance, the Lina DAC 1.0's 2.05V/5.91V balanced out(s) and 109.1dB/117.0dB A-wtd S/N ratio(s) – 2V and 6V modes, respectively – are unchanged, as is the usefully low ~1ohm o/p impedance. The new M3 Ring DAC mapper offers reduced ultrasonic noise over the M2 option, with M1 and M3 trading fractionally higher peak level THD (0.00019-0.0003% vs. 0.0001-0.00025%) for a reduced minimum of 0.00004-0.0001% over the top 20dB of its dynamic range [see Graph 1]. Jitter remains very low at ~20psec [DXD upsampling; black, Graph 2] while the HF shift in requantisation noise offered by the new DSD x2 mode [blue, Graph 2] is very clear vs. DSD x1 upsampling [red, Graph 2].

The new six digital filters are culled from the Bartók [HFN May '19] and Vivaldi APEX [HFN Jun '22] so the DAC 1.0's F1 and F2 options – steep and slow roll-off linear phase types, respectively – are equivalent to F1 and F4 in the Lina DAC 2.0. The response(s) depend on your choice of filter, all six delivering a ruler-flat ±0.02dB (20Hz-20kHz) with CD media albeit with variable stopband attenuation (125dB, 35dB, 12dB, 6dB and 125dB, F1-F5, respectively). F5 is a minimum phase type with significant post-ringing and F6 a linear phase type with lower amplitude, but more extended, pre/post ringing. F1-F4 are linear phase with responses of –22dB/45kHz, –0.6dB/45kHz, –29dB/39kHz and –10.5dB/ 45kHz, respectively, with 96kHz media and –13.0dB/90kHz, –7.1dB/90kHz, –23dB/77kHz and –17.6dB/90kHz, respectively, with 192kHz files. These filters are applied before DSD and DSD x2 upsampling and have –3dB limits set at 78kHz, 68kHz, 64kHz, 30kHz and 29kHz (DSD) and 78kHz, 78kHz, 78kHz, 60kHz and 57kHz (DSD x2), respectively. PM