MSB Technology Link DAC III User manual

Upsampling
Upgrade
for the
LINK DAC III
Rev #7 (3/2006)
Users Manual

Thank you for purchasing the “Upsampling Upgrade” for your LINK DAC. I am
sure you will be very pleased with it. It adds the following new features to your
LINKaswellasimprovedperformance.
Jitter Reduction
Upsamplingto96kor132k
If you ordered the option factory installed, we have included a storage and ship-
ping box for the upgrade in case you ever wish to remove the upgrade. Please retain
this box.
JITTER REDUCTION
Dramatic Jitter Reduction is added to the LINK when this upgrade is installed,
whether upsampling is turned on or off. It is applied to any source all the time.
BASIC UPSAMPLING
The toggle switch installed on the rear of the LINK allows upsampling to be turned
on or off. The option LED on the front panel indicates “Upsampling on”. The basic
upsampling provides a new digitally sampled signal at 96 kHz. This signal is de-
coded by the internal LINK DAC at 96K and the 96K LED will also light up ONLY
when an active source is being played. When no source is active, such as when a
CD is paused, the input LED will light, but the frequency LED will not light. As
soonasplayisresumedthefrequency LED will againlightup. This is different from
a LINK DAC without upsampling. It indicates frequency even if the source is not
actively playing.
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HIGHER RATE SAMPLING
Your new upsampling board has the capability to upsample to 96 kHz or 132.3 kHz.
The upgrade is configured to upsample to 96 kHz from MSB. An extra oscillator is
installed on the upsampling board, and can be selected instead of the standard
oscillatorto increasethe sampling ratefrom 96 kHzto 132.3kHz(3 timestheCD rate
of 44.1 kHz). This is the highest rate the LINK III can upsample to. No frequency
LED lights up when the 132 kHz frequency is selected. Admittedly, we are driving
both the decoder and DAC beyond their design limits, but our experience at normal
room temperature conditions has shown the higher speed upgrade works very well.
If your environment is too hot (the LINK sits on top of your amplifier), you may
need to install the normal 96K oscillator.
To change the frequency, follow the instructions to open the cover of the LINK.
Inside the LINK notice the small upsampling board installed in the main board,
shown below. Two jumper positions are available between the large metal oscilla-
tors. They are labeled 96K and 132K. As shipped, the jumper is located in the 96K
position. Remove the jumper and move to the 132K position.
HDCDUPGRADE
The HDCD can be installed at the same time as the upsampling upgrade as long as
it is configured for 96k not 132k upsampling.
3
J1 This Jumper is
set for 96k
operation. To
upsampleto132.3
simplyremove
the jumper and
place it on the
bottom row of
pins.
To Toggle Switch
Black
Brown
Red

4
OTHER UPGRADES
This upgrade is compatible with the GOLD, NELSON and standard LINK DAC IIIs,
and workswith theVirtual 3d upgrade. If you havenotalreadytried the P1000 power
base, this is another clear performance booster for any LINK. To go even beyond,
pleaseconsider the Nelson, Gold or Platinum LINK. MSB generally offers a trade-in
credit when upgrading to the next level DAC.
REMOVAL OF UPGRADE
If ever the upgrade is removed, jumpers must be installed on the upgrade headers to
make the LINK work. The position of those jumpers is shown in the diagram.
DSP Headers 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
J18 J19
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
Ground
Data
BitClock
L/RClock
M Clock
DataFlag
Ground
Ground
S/PDIF
S/PDIF(inverted)
Ground
DigitalActive
Option1
192kHz
Ground
1234567890
1234567890
1234567890
1234567890
NORMAL POSITION OF LINK III JUMPERS

5
BALANCED INPUT MSB NETWORK INPUTUPSAMPLING SWITCH
96K UPSAMPLING
132K UPSAMPLING CH4 CH3 CH2CH1
INSTALLATION
This section describes how to install the Upsampling Upgrade in a LINK III. Dis-
regard this section if the upgrade was factory installed.
LINKIIIPREPARATION
Place the LINK III on a soft surface like a tablecloth or carpet. Disconnect the
power supply. Remove the three philips screws on the back edge of the cover.
Turn the LINK over and remove the three philips screws from the front edge of the
cover. Carefully separate the base from the cover. Pick up the base and flip it over,
placing it inside the cover. Take care not to disconnect the ribbon cable to the front
panel. Place the LINK so that the RCA connectors are facing AWAY from you.
This way all the diagrams will be oriented correctly.
REMOVE THE JUMPERS AND INSTALL THE BOARD
Two headers can be seen in the middle of the LINK III board. They are labeled J18
and J19. Four jumpers are installed as shown. Remove these jumpers. Tape them
to the inside of the base so they will not be lost. Install the upgrade board by

6
plugging its two sockets into these two headers. The board should be oriented so
the writing is in the same direction as on the LINK board. Make sure the pins line
up both up and down and right and left. It is very easy to shift the board one pin
position in any direction. Before seating the board, inspect from all directions to
confirm position. The board can then be pressed down firmly.
SWITCH INSTALLATION
On the back of the LINK III is a 1/4” hole with a plastic plug in it, next to the power
connector. Remove the plastic plug. Install the switch in the hole oriented as
shown. Plug the switch into J1 “Off” on the new Network board. The connector is
oriented in J1 as shown on page 3. Some DACs already have a switch installed. It
is used to change the phase. Unless it is the same as the new switch supplied,
remove it and replace it with the new switch. Jumpers should be installed in the
location the switch was removed from as shown. Select the phase you want with
the jumpers. The switch now is used for upsampling, not phase invert.
wires on top
Normal
Upsample
Black
Brown
Red
ALTERNATE SWITCH INSTALLATION
With different models the switch may
vary as shown. Try the connector dif-
ferent ways until it works.

7
REASSEMBLE THE LINKIII
Flip the base over, taking the twist out of the ribbon cable going to the front panel
board. Slide the base into the front flange, aligning the base and front. Install the
three philips screws in the bottom front. Flip the LINK over and install the three
screws in the cover.
TEST UPGRADE
If anything does not conform to this test procedure, immediately disconnect the
powerandcalloremailMSBforhelp. Plugpower intothe LINKIII. The powerlight
should come on. Apply a digital source. The source should be indicated with an
LEDand you shouldheara small click. You shouldimmediatelyhear audio fromthe
analog outputs. As you turn the toggle switch on and off, the option LED should
turn on and off. Music should be heard in either position. The frequency display
should indicate 96K when the music is actually heard, and when the switch is on,
and indicate the normal source frequency when the switch is off. If configured for
132k, the no frequency LED will light when upsampling is turned on.
TROUBLESHOOTING
If you get no sound after installing the upgrade:
1. Check that the board is oriented correctly, the writing on the main board should
line up with the writing on the upgrade board.
2. Check that the upgrade board is centered on the upgrade headers. It is easy to
shift the board one pin position away..
3.If you removed an existing toggle switch, make sure you placed 2 jumpers on J14
as shown..
J14
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
ZeroOption
Data
Data(inverted)
L/RClock
Reset
Ground
DataFlag
J14
123456789
1
2345678
9
123456789
1234567890
1234567890
ZeroOption
Data
Data(inverted)
L/RClock
Reset
Ground
DataFlag
NORMAL PHASE INVERTED PHASE