DCS LINA User manual

Lina Master Clock
Getting Started Guide
dCS LINA Master Clock Getting Started Guide A5.indd 2 01/12/2021 16:08

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View the full User Guide
To view the full User Guide for your LINA Master
Clock, visit https://dcsaudio.com/documentation
Document information
Published on: 14/10/2021
Document ID: DCS322681 - Rev1.0
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 Data Conversion Systems Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice, and whilst it is
checked for accuracy, no liabilities can be accepted for errors.
dCS is Data Conversion Systems Ltd. Company registered in England No. 2072115.
dCS is a registered trademark of Data Conversion Systems Ltd.
Other product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other
companies, and are the property of their owners. They are used only for explanation,
without intent to infringe.

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Introducing the LINA Master Clock
The LINA Master Clock is an optional addition to your LINA system. While
the LINA Network DAC and LINA Headphone Amplifier together deliver
great performance, adding the LINA Master Clock improves the sound
quality when using the network or USB inputs.
The LINA Master Clock generates word clock signals at 44.1 and 48kHz,
which have a very low jitter. After setting the LINA Network DAC to lock to
a word clock, the LINA Network DAC automatically locks to the clock
frequency that is an exact multiple of the incoming audio data. For
example, if the incoming data rate is 192kS/s, the LINA Network DAC
selects the 48kHz clock.
The LINA Master Clock cannot be used with source devices
connected to the AES or SPDIF inputs on the LINA Network DAC,
because there are no spare word clock outputs to connect an
input to, such as a CD Transport. In these cases, select that
input on the LINA Network DAC and use the Audio sync mode.

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What's in the box
dCS LINA Master Clock Power cable (2m) 2x BNC cable (0.5m)
Power Link cable
(0.5m) Getting Started Guide Welcome letter

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Front
Item Description
1 Power button To switch on or enter sleep mode, press briefly.
To switch off, press and hold until the status indicator
turns off.
2Status
indicator
When in sleep mode, the status indicator is dim white.
When the unit is on, the status indicator is bright white.

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Rear
Item Description
1 POWERLINK RJ45 input. Connects the unit to other LINA units to
enable Power Link.
2 WORDCLOCK
OUT1
Word clock output1. A 75ΩBNC connector, fixed at
44.1kHz.
Connects the unit to an audio device such as a DAC.
Word clock is only used for synchronisation and does not
carry digital audio data.
3 WORDCLOCK
OUT2
Word clock output2. A 75ΩBNC connector, fixed at
48kHz.
Connects the unit to an audio device such as a DAC.
Word clock is only used for synchronisation and does not
carry digital audio data.
4Power socket,
fuse, and
power switch
Power is connected via a standard IEC320 connector,
with a power switch and a fuse holder.

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Setting up
1 2
3
Connecting the LINA range
To connect the LINA Network DAC, LINA Master Clock and LINA
Headphone Amplifier together:
1. Position the LINA range.
2. Connect the LINA Network DAC to the LINA Headphone Amplifier.
3. Connect the LINA Master Clock to the LINA Network DAC.

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1. Positioning the LINA range
You can position the units in one of the following ways:
• Place the units side by side.
• Stack the units vertically in the following order:
• LINA Headphone Amplifier at the bottom
• LINA Master Clock in the middle
• LINA Network DAC on top
To prevent overheating, we recommend that you leave some
space around the units to allow for ventilation.

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2. Connecting the LINA Network DAC to the LINA
Headphone Amplifier
You can connect the LINA Network DAC to the LINA Headphone Amplifier
using the balanced XLR sockets.
1. Using two balanced XLR cables, connect the BAL.LEFT and
BAL.RIGHT outputs on the LINA Network DAC to the BAL.LEFT
and BAL.RIGHT inputs on the LINA Headphone Amplifier.
2. On the LINA Headphone Amplifier, choose the unbuffered XLR
input. If the status indicator is not white, press the Power/Input
button until it changes to white.
3. Connecting the LINA Master Clock to the LINA Network
DAC
You can lock the network and USB inputs on the LINA Network DAC to the
LINA Master Clock.
1. Switch on the LINA Network DAC and the LINA Master Clock.
2. On the LINA Network DAC, choose the network or USB input.

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3. Using two BNC cables, connect the WORDCLOCK output
sockets on the LINA Master Clock to the WORDCLOCK input
sockets on the LINA Network DAC.
4. Set the clocking sync mode on the LINA Network DAC to Auto .
The LINA Network DAC selects the appropriate clock input and
locks to it.
If you lock an AES or SPDIF input on the LINA Network DAC to
the LINA Master Clock, the source equipment will not be locked
to the Clock, resulting in periodic clicks, dropouts or distortion.
To use the LINA Network DAC in this way, use source equipment
that has a word clock input and a Master Clock with extra
outputs.

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Compliance and Safety
FCC compliance statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
You can determine whether this equipment is causing interference by
turning it off. If the interference stops, it was probably caused by the
equipment or a peripheral device.
If your equipment does cause interference to radio or television
reception, try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
• Turn the television or radio antenna until the interference stops.
• Move the equipment to one side or the other of the television or
radio.
• Move the equipment further way from the television or radio.
• Plug the equipment into an outlet that is on a different circuit
from the television or radio. (That is, make certain the
equipment and the television or radio are on circuits controlled
by different circuit breakers or fuses.)
(USA only) If necessary, consult dCS Americas Inc. or an experienced
radio / television technician for additional suggestions.

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Changes or modifications not expressly approved by dCS Americas Inc.
could void the manufacturer’s warranty.
This product has demonstrated electromagnetic interference
compliance under conditions that included the use of compliant
peripheral devices and shielded cables between system components. In
order to maintain compliance with FCC regulations, shielded cables
(including Ethernet network cables) must be used with this equipment.
Operation with non-approved equipment or unshielded cables is likely
to result in interference to radio and TV reception.
Responsible party (contact for FCC matters only)
dCS Americas LLC
PNC Bank Bldg
300 Delaware Ave, Suite 210
Wilmington, DE 19801
USA
EU Declaration of Conformity
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the essential
requirements of the following Directives: 2014/30/EU, 2014/35/EU and
2015/863/EU.
This device is certified for indoor use only.
Korea Class B compliance statement
This equipment is for home use, and has acquired electromagnetic
conformity registration, so it can be used not only in residential areas,
but also other areas.

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Safety
To prevent personal injury or damage to the unit, read the following
safety messages before use.
CAUTION
Read and comply with all safety messages and instructions in
this document.
• Follow the cleaning instructions in the User Guide.
• Only install the unit according to the instructions in
this document.
• Do not spill liquid on the unit or allow it to get wet.
• Do not install the unit near heat sources.
• Use only the attachments and accessories specified
by dCS.
CAUTION
To prevent the risk of electric shock and ensure the best audio
performance, connect the unit to mains earth (ground) using
the correct power cable.
• A grounding type plug has two blades and a
grounding prong, which is provided for safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, contact a
qualified electrician.
• Do not use the power cable if it is damaged.
• If this unit is not being used for a long period of time,
disconnect the unit from the power supply.
• During lightning storms, disconnect the unit from the
power supply to prevent power surges.

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CAUTION
The safety covers on the unit protect you from electric shock.
• Do not remove the safety covers from the unit.
• If you do remove the safety covers from the unit, it
invalidates the warranty.
NOTICE
If the unit is damaged, do not use it and contact a qualified service
engineer. Possible causes of damage to the unit include the
following:
• Liquid is spilled on the unit.
• A heavy object falls on the unit.
• The unit is exposed to rain or moisture.
• The unit is dropped.
NOTICE
Damage caused to the unit by misuse of a mains regenerator or by a
malfunctioning mains regenerator is not covered by the warranty.
• We do not recommend the use of mains regenerators.
• If you want to use a mains regenerator with variable voltage
and frequency, set the voltage to match your local voltage.
Set the frequency to either 50Hz or 60Hz.
• Do not change the output voltage of the mains generator
while it is connected to the unit.

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NOTICE
If the unit is cold and is moved into a warm room, condensation may
form inside the unit. Condensation may interfere with the normal
operation of the unit. If the unit has been kept somewhere cold,
remove all packaging and leave it for 1-2 hours before using it to
allow it to reach room temperature.

dcsaudio.com
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@dCSonlythemusic
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[email protected]om
Data Conversion Systems Ltd.
Unit 1, Buckingway Business Park, Anderson Road,
Swavesey, Cambridge, CB24 4AE, UK
dCS LINA Master Clock Getting Started Guide A5.indd 1 01/12/2021 16:08