Platinum Link Plus

About the Platinum Link Plus

The MSB Technology Platinum Link Plus is a high-end sign-magnitude ladder DAC derived from the original Platinum Link, using four 46-bit sign-magnitude R-2R ladder converters to achieve extremely low linearity error and true 24-bit performance. It provides multiple digital inputs - coaxial S/PDIF, Toslink optical, balanced AES/EBU, and MSB Network over CAT5 - with MSB Network supporting operation up to 192 kHz. Analog outputs are available on both unbalanced (RCA) line-level jacks and balanced (XLR) outputs, with maximum output levels of approximately 3.6 V RMS (RCA) and 7.5 V RMS (balanced) at 0 dB. The internal digital architecture runs at a 1.5 MHz sampling rate with a Burr-Brown DF1704 digital filter, and the analog section is specified with dynamic range around 134 dB(A), THD+N of approximately 0.006%, noise floor below -145 dB, S/N ratio about 130 dB, and channel separation >130 dB, placing it firmly in the ultra-low-noise, high-resolution category. The design features a very high slew rate (>1000 V/us) and fast settling time (<100 ns) to maintain precision on complex transient signals. The Platinum Link Plus incorporates an inboard P1000 Power Base-style linear power supply with multiple dedicated rails for digital and analog sections, internally configurable for 120 V or 240 V mains operation via jumpers, and uses a standard IEC power inlet. Like other MSB reference DACs, it benefits from an extended burn-in period, with MSB documentation recommending at least 100 hours of continuous operation for the analog circuitry and power supply to stabilize for optimum performance.