A Dream Headphone System From dCS, RAAL-requisite, and Shunyata

Audio: Listen to this article.

As a child of the 1980s I had dreams of one day owning Thomas Magnum’s Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, the Lamborghini Jalpa driven by Phil Collins on Miami Vice, or the Countach, Daytona Spyders, and Testarossas displayed on my friends' bedroom posters. These were aspirational works of art, capable of transporting one around town in style and at the highest levels of performance. They also set my mind free to imagine a world of amazing automobiles, much better than the rusty late 1970s Oldsmobile Cutlass that loudly rattled past my bedroom window on County Road 18 in New Hope, MN. 

Fast forward almost twenty years to the end of the 1990s. I'd just graduated college, was working in IT making sure a large corporation's computers didn't turn into pumpkins at midnight on January 1, 2000, and dreaming of a better high end audio system. I found photos online of Mark Levinson components and Wilson Audio speakers, and put them into a document called My Dream System. There was no way I could afford such a system, but I loved setting my sights high and imagining how good Pearl Jam could sound in the room I rented on the corner of 33rd & Humboldt Ave S in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. 

Today I have a dedicated listening room and own dream systems for both stereo and immersive loudspeaker playback. I aimed high and enjoyed the journey with several less capable but gratifying components along the way. I'm happy I started with a boombox, then upgraded to a Technics receiver with $32 Kenwood speakers, then on to Polk Audio and Klipsch, among others. Almost all of us start at the bottom with cheap gear, some with used gear, and some with cheap used gear. It's a marathon, not a sprint, with a finish line somewhere off into the future. 

A Dream Headphone System

This is not a starter system. It's an aspirational time machine capable of transporting listeners to different eras, recording studios, and live venues anywhere on Earth with the tap of a finger. This is a whole system that's far greater than the sum of its parts. It's a luxury Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner and a high performance Lamborghini Revuelto rolled into one. While certainly not inexpensive, neither aforementioned car nor individual part of this system is the most expensive in its class. This system was built with a little knowledge, luck, and experience, to set the bar for headphone listening. 

The heart of this dream headphone system is the dCS Lina. The full dCS Lina system consisting of the Network DAC, Master Clock, and Headphone Amplifier. Lina is the result of the largest R&D project ever at dCS. The components, while separable, are designed to work together smoothly. A tap of the easily accessible, yet hidden, front power button on the Headphone Amplifier also turns on the Master Clock and Network DAC. 

I was originally hesitant about getting the dCS Lina in for review. I hemmed and hawed, thinking one of the Audiophile Style headphone authorities may be a better fit. However, once I started researching the Lina, I realized this could be something special and I had to have it.  

The three individual components are fine resting atop each other or side by side, or some mix thereof. Each has a fit and finish that's unlike anything dCS has previously created. The buttons feel solid, the platform under each component is sturdy, and the volume knob is silky smooth. If there's one item that can turn me off of a component instantly, it's a less than desirable volume knob. The dCS Lina Headphone Amplifier's volume knob feels terrific and can be adjusted with precision or rather coarsely with ease. 

The geek in me enjoys seeing photos of the Lina Network DAC's unique flexible circuit board, learning how the company managed to place a full size DAC into a half size chassis, and verifying that the Headphone Amplifier really can drive almost any headphone on the market. But, that stuff doesn't move me and doesn't drive me to get out of bed early just to listen to new music on album release Friday. The Lina system as a whole is what enables Pearl Jam, Natalie Merchant, and Van Morrison music to tug at my heartstrings like no other headphone system on the planet. The feel of the Lina and the amazing level of performance are what move me and get me excited to ask everyone in the industry, "Have you heard the Lina yet?"

In previous years I've written about my love of RAAL-requisite true ribbon headphones. Nobody builds headphones like these guys. I called RAAL-requisite's Danny McKinney to obtain a TI-1b Transformer Ribbon/Amp Interface, that enables use of the ribbon headphones with headphone amps rather than using loudspeaker amps. Danny offered the latest RAAL-requisite CA-1a circumaural true ribbon headphones and the upgraded Star-8 Cable to go along with the TI-1b. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. 

I heard the preproduction CA-1a headphones at the 2022 Munich High End show, but was slightly underwhelmed with certain aspects of the headphone's performance. I know Danny and Alex spent countless hours perfecting the headphone housing and ear pads, and I really hoped the performance would top my favorite SR1a headphones from RAAL-requisite. 

The CA-1a headphones are similar to the SR1a headphones only because they both use true ribbon drivers. Everything else is different, even the size of the ribbon is different. Similar to car manufacturing where several models may use the same chassis, it would've been a breeze if RAAL-requisite could've used the same ribbon driver on both the SR1a and CA-1a. However, the reality of creating the world's first circumaural true ribbon headphone was anything but easy. 

Taking headphones to levels not possible through mechanical / physical design only, is a requirement for me. As soon as the CA-1a headphones were on their way, I contacted the DSP master Mitch Barnett of Accurate Sound. Mitch had already measured the CA-1a and created a filter for the headphones that's "ruler flat." Mitch sent me the filter set to be loaded into any application that supports convolution. I loaded the filter into Roon, created a preset in Roon's Muse DSP section, and waited for the CA-1a to arrive. 

In 2023 I can't imagine using headphones without a convolution filter, especially if one wants accurate sound reproduction. Putting together a dream headphone system without a filter is like building a listening room without addressing the acoustics of the room. Mitch creates the filters, the listener uploads them to Roon, then listens to music. Once loaded, the filters never have to be touched. It's that simple and amazingly powerful (as evidenced by the measurements).

Once the dCS Lina components, RAAL-requisite headphones, and convolution filters were all ready to go, I met with Shunyata's Grant Samuelson at a local restaurant to discuss powering this dream headphone system. As this system was on my desktop where space was at a premium, yet performance absolutely had to be incredibly high, Grant didn't hesitate to recommend the new Shunyata GEMINI Model-4 power distributor and Venom V14 power cables. The Gemini has a smaller footprint than many power conditioners, yet it also features a ground noise reduction hub. Given the resolution of the dCS/RAAL-requisite combination and the fact that the ribbon drivers would be centimeters away from my ears, revealing any system flaws, the Gemini sounded like the perfect match for this dream headphone system. 

Just Add Music

All the hardware and software was in place. A Shunyata GEMINI Model-4 with Venom power cables supplying power to the three dCS Lina components (Network DAC, Master Clock, Headphone Amplifier). The RAAL-requisite TI-1b connected to the Lina Headphone Amplifier and the CA-1a connected to the TI-1b with the upgraded Star-8 Cable also from RAAL-requisite. Filters from Mitch Barnett at Accurate Sound loaded into Roon, and a 22,723 album library ready to rock.

To put it bluntly, I've never heard a better headphone system in my life. Obviously nobody has heard every headphone and every amp combination on Earth, but in my mind this is the best system on the planet. The speed of the true ribbon RAAL-requisite drivers, the Accurate Sound correction filters, the clean Shunyata power, and the analog and digital wizardry of the dCS Lina are unequivocally second to none. Hands down the best headphone experience I've ever had. Period. This system is so good, it puts my previous headphone systems using five-figure loudspeaker tube amps and five-figure DACs to shame. There is a lot to be said for system synergy, and I'm about to say it. 

With an Ethernet cable plugged into the Lina DAC and its digital volume control set to 0.0 dB, I adjusted the Headphone Amplifier's volume to about half way and put on Pearl Jam's October 22, 2003 Benaroya Hall concert album. The album is mostly acoustic, and distinguished from the original MTV Unplugged album by a much larger selection of tracks, about 20 years of experience, and performed in a pristine sonic environment. 

Once the band starts easing into track one, Of The Girl, the visceral impact from Matt Cameron's kick drum can be felt, as the rest of the band noodles on their guitars. This is how many Pearl Jam shows start, and through this headphone system there's a nice sense of "feeling it." When attending concerts, hearing the band is one thing, but feeling the band takes it to another level. This system has immediate punch, with zero editorializing, that provides a glimpse into the live recording. 

Jeff Ament's bass throughout this track, and the whole album, is solid as a rock. It can be heard as if he mixed the album and wanted everyone to hear him. This headphone system reproduces his stand-up bass with solidity, delineation, and detail. It enabled me to hear the bass like no other headphone system I've heard to date. These headphone aren't bass canons, but they enable the listener to focus on a single detail, such as the low end, if desired. The bass doesn't stand out, rather it's crisp and clear for all to hear if one wants to focus on it. This is a very special quality at which this headphone system excels.  

A band I've really liked since 1993's Undertow is Tool. A mysterious mix of dudes that does its own thing, and seriously rocks. Through this dream headphone system I listened to Fear Inoculum. The track Pneuma is my favorite for many reasons, the most important being that I love the music. The way this headphone system reproduced everything from the delicate tom-tom percussion to the pressurizing kick drum and the full kit, was the best I've ever heard from a pair of headphones. This isn't supposed to happen. I thought I needed huge speakers to move air and feel the impact. OK, the impact isn't hitting me in the chest like loudspeakers can, but it's real and present through this headphone system. 

The ability of this system to reproduce individual instruments and a band is superb. Reproducing an entire orchestra is a whole different animal, and I love it through the dCS / RAAL-requisite / Shunyata system. Playing Boston Symphony Orchestra's Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 enables the listener to realize this system can reproduce anything at the highest quality level possible, and maintain every ounce of delicacy, detail, solidity, and delineation. 

The first "track" on this album is Allegretto poco moderato, and boy is it explosive. I set the Lina Headphone Amplifier's volume dial to roughly two o'clock and let it rip. It's a rollercoaster of musical magic, with percussion, horns, and strings, individually and as a whole. All of the music is presented on a transparent platter for the ears to enjoy. It's as if everything is floating in front of the listener as the sonic illusion builds in one's mind. This track and the entire Symphony are stupendous and absolutely satisfying through this dream headphone system. 

Switching gears to an album that sucked me in for all 47 minutes on more than one occasion during this review. Van Morrison's Astral Weeks is a masterpiece by any measure. Through the dCS / RAAL-requisite / Shunyata system it's a thing of absolute revealing beauty. The title track is seven minutes long, but goes by in a flash and leaves me wanting more. The sound of Jay Berliner's guitar on this track is just unreal. Now that I've heard it on this system, I never want to hear it any other way. It sounds as if he is plucking strings right next to me! As the track winds down for the final minute, the delicacy of this headphone system really shines. The string ensemble is crystal clear, as are Morrison's vocals and that fantastic classical guitar again! I could listen to this for days and never tire. 

My favorite track on the album is the nearly ten minute Madame George. Morrison sings with such emotion on this track, over a foundation of Richard Davis's solid bass and the string ensemble's ethereal beauty just hanging in thin air. This track puts it all together in a single package, and if the audio system is capable, pure sonic bliss will ensue.

Listening to Madame George through the Lina / CA-1a / Gemini system momentarily enables me to forget about my twelve channel immersive system that surrounds me. This is a headphone experience like none other. Delicacy, detail, palpability, punch, and capable of reproducing music for what it is, a whole of musicians with a single sound. Sure, one can listen for individual details as I sometimes like to do, but when sitting back and listening to the whole emotional experience of a track like Madame George, I remember why I got into this hobby decades ago. I want to feel something, rather than think something. I want to get lost in music, and be transported to another place and time. Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, played through this headphone system, is all I need to get there. 

Conclusion

The dCS Lina, RAAL-requisite CA-1a, and Shunyata Gemini Model-4 make up an aspirational dream headphone system. While separable, this system operates on a level that's much greater than the sum of its parts. I felt like I had magic in a bottle once the system was running and I enjoyed music for hours on end. Everything from the look, feel, and sonic performance of each piece is sublime. I want this system on my desk forever, but I also want it on my bedside table. 

This is the best headphone system I've ever heard. It combines the elegance of a luxury automobile with the performance of a hypercar. The best of anything rarely involves combining the most expensive pieces of a puzzle and putting them together. The best experiences are had by assembling the right system, using the best tools for the job. In this case, the dCS, RAAL-requisite, Shunyata, and Accurate Sound products are all audio tools providing the best music reproduction possible from a headphone system today. I seriously can't get enough of this system. It has been a dream listening to it for the last couple months. 

Product Information:

dCS

• dCS Lina Network DAC $13,650
• dCS Lina Master Clock $7,750
• dCS Lina Headphone Amplifier $9,750

RAAL-requisite

• RAAL-requisite CA-1a Headphones $2,000
• RAAL-requisite TI-1b Transformer Ribbon/Amp Interface $700
• RAAL-requisite Star-8 Pure Silver Cable $1,100

Shunyata

• Shunyata Research GEMINI Model-4 Power Conditioner / Grounding Hub $1,998
• Shunyata Research Venom V14 NR Cables $400     

Accurate Sound

• Accurate Sound RAAL-requisite CA-1a FilterSet $200 

My Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system