Link mkIII

About the Link mkIII

The MSB Technology Link mkIII (often referred to as Link DAC III) is a solid-state standalone digital-to-analog converter designed for audiophile two-channel systems. It provides S/PDIF coaxial and TosLink optical digital inputs, plus an analog bypass input, and can add an AES/EBU digital input when fitted with the optional Full Nelson upgrade. Internally it uses an 8x-oversampling digital filter and a 24-bit Burr-Brown DAC supporting input sampling rates from 32 to 96 kHz (32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz). Key performance specifications include dynamic range 106 dB, signal-to-noise ratio 106 dB, channel separation >=95 dB, and THD+N of 96 dB, with 2 V RMS output at 0 dBFS via unbalanced analog outputs. The chassis measures 17" W x 1.75" H x 14" D and weighs 18 lb. The Link mkIII is designed as an upgradeable platform and supports user-installable options such as upsampling (to higher sample rates up to 96 kHz and, in later versions, up to 132 kHz), HDCD decoding, and virtual 3D surround processing, as well as the Full Nelson upgrade for enhanced digital handling and AES/EBU input. Power is supplied by an external supply, with the optional P1000 Power Base providing a higher-capacity, multi-rail regulated supply specifically matched to the Link series. In use, it is widely regarded as a clean, precise, high-value DAC in its price class, offering performance competitive with more expensive digital processors of its era.