[AustinValentine]

^Excellent post. One thing I disagree with is saying they don't know how aggrevating their marketing and transaction process is. This isn't their first rodeo. They know but it's obvious they don't care because they do it over and over and over yet again. The sound quality of their dac products, so far, has allowed this sophomoric behavior to leave them relatively unscathed. As long as the product is trending on indiegogo, frustrated backers be damned.

 
Thanks! And you're probably right about this. It just dumbfounds me that anyone would be willing to damage their brand like this and know that they're doing it. 
 

Purrin mentioned that he is thinking of placing the go v2 at spot 10 or 12 on his ladder ranking. Not exactly otherworldly good IMHO. Also purrin response to go v2 is more of a surprise than impress, probably due to low expectations.

 
Actually, while I can't speak for Purrin, I'm pretty sure Marv meant that rating to be a really, really high compliment for a small form factor portable DAC. Discounting form factor for a second, consider the top 12 members of the S-D ladder ranking by price only: 
 
#1 – Audio GD Master 7 (w/ OR5 & Sigma11) - $2180 + OR5 + Sigma11
#1 – Bricasti M1 - $7995
#2 – Berkeley Alpha Series 2 - $4995
#3 – PS Audio PWD2 (1-2 upgrade & $$ transport) – Aftermarket Only
#4 – PS Audio PWD2 - $2499 + $1100 (upgrade kit)
#5 – Audio GD Master 7 (USB or Coax) - $2180
#6 – Schiit Gungnir Gen 2 USB - $849
#7 – Auralic Vega (USB Exact Clock) - $3500
#8 – Lynx Hilo - $2495
#8 – Auralic Vega (USB coarse/Fine Clock) - $3500
#9 – Metrum Octave (w Additional Transport Cost) - $1395 + Transport
#9 – NAD M51 - $1999
#10 – Schiit Bifrost Uber Gen 2 USB - $519
#11 – Lavry DA10 - $1148
#11 – Matrix X-Sabre - $1100
#12 – AMB Gamma2 – DIY or ~ $325 (MisterX built, at last check)
#12 – Metrum Quad (Coax) – Aftermarket Only
 
Additional Costs for: OR5 ($1200) and Sigma11 (~$100). Shipping not included in above and in some cases it's substantial.
 
Even the cheapest member of this list, the AMB Labs Gamma2 DAC, is $100 more than the Geek Out v2 and is far less compact. The Gamma2 also comes on sale very rarely. [Not plugging my own FS listing, just an observation]. The next two budget friendly offerings - Schiit's Bifrost and Gungnir - are over twice as expensive and nearly four times as expensive, respectively. From there, prices accelerate up quickly until we're hitting units that are 10-20x the cost of the Geek Out v2. Some of them require a transport that's five times the cost of the GO v2 alone. 
 
And none of them are portable. 

 

[nudd]

That bullsh*t sentence about how its unfair to indiegogo backers is the most infuriating thing in the world. How does that remotely make sense? They already got 700 orders and $170k in the bank. They can make 4 or 5 batches right away with that money and on 30 June cut off all the preorders and ship all those who paid up to that date. If a whole bunch of preorderers pile in on 30 june well, they preordered! That was the original deal! What lhl.

Larry may be a genius but their marketing guys (including Larry if he has a say in this) are absolute disasters who abuse the customer relationship to the limit.

 

[audiofrk]

While the 450 was a great little DAC the quality of the line up doesn't really hold for their more expensive gear. The 450 can complete with more expensive DACs, the pulse is severely over priced unless you got the it in its "early backer" form. In other words its most specked out version isn't worth more than $800 at best. And according to their own marketing the v2 is supposed to be better than the pulse, so the pulse is now outdated. What you don't pay for in cash you pay for in time and quality control.

What's I'm finding odd is that people that have heard the v2 haven't commented on this thread and currently its mostly conjuncture of how it should sounds like. I tried going ears on at the show but their room wasn't open (tried on Sunday).

 

[Lifemovingforwa]

Well we do agree on the fact that it is strange that I can't find any reviews of the Out V2. You would think there would be reviews talking about its virtues everywhere but can only find one so far. I backed out of the preorder mostly because of the way it was done seemed strange but if the unit turns out to be good I will most likely get a 2+. As far as the Pulse we do not agree I have a SFi and if sounds wonderful. I have no problem with the fact that it is a $1200 to $1800 dollar DAC in specs and sound alone. Yes the case in not stellar but it's fine and the knob is cheep but not a problem in operations. I have a standard Pulse as well and it is a wonderful unit.
 
The problem is shipping the unit with firmware that doesn't work out of the box having those kind of equipment problems and this gives them a bad name in places like this. They say here is a deal for supporting us then take the deal away twice as if my patronage is worthless to them. Then my equipment when I try to sell it is worth less in the used market. I bought both my Pulses used and I am happy with the quality but I bought them because I could not afford a DAC with Femto upgrade and or Active components upgrades or 3W of power. I think the pulse is worth less then advertized and more then $800 for any model. (I should disclose that I have a add for the standard to sale it.)

 

[audiofrk]

I only heard one pulse and it was at canjam at Dan's table. I listen to the alpha dog prime out of the pulse (don't know which one) + LPS and the uber bifrost+ Valhalla 2 the pulse didn't sound like an upgrade.

 

[nudd]

I only heard one pulse and it was at canjam at Dan's table. I listen to the alpha dog prime out of the pulse (don't know which one) + LPS and the uber bifrost+ Valhalla 2 the pulse didn't sound like an upgrade.

 
At the backer price of close to $1k I think the infinity version holds its own but at $3k you can get a Yggy, forget dsd and have all your music (i have literally zero dsd tracks) sound fantastic.
 
I am not sure the Pulse in any version will ever go into retail. Maybe the infinity in the new chassis which at least has the new AQ2M chip.
 
I think lhl just obsoleted all the other Pulses because any rational purchaser will be expected lhl to be announcing AQ2M desktop units (Pulse v2??) based on a cheaper version of the inifinity boards right? After all the infinity is just a Pulse with femto and a few extra premium components, so just take out the femto and internal amp upgrades and you have an AQ2M Pulse X version 2 (not crowdfunded, ready for production, pre order from us, no wait, go to indiegogo because of some incomprehensible reason) campaign ready to go ....

 

[Head1]

There's so much misery in this thread. I wonder if it is better to buy a Hugo (or a 2Qute). You probably get better SQ and peace of mind from the get go, in return for the higher cost.

 

[nudd]

Why not get a Schiit Yggy for that sort of money? The chord is at the end of the day a transportable dac for an insane amount of money. I think you are paying extra for the portability?

 

[vhsownsbeta]

CEE TEE has posted some pretty comprehensive impressions and comparisons to V1 in the other geek thread...

http://www.head-fi.org/t/677263/light-harmonic-geek/1590#post_11669035

 

[prot]

Does anyone know what happened to the pre orders that did not pay LH's ultimatum extortion money? I havent seen an "we cancelled you" email so afaik, it's still on. Is fishy preparing another 'joke' for us or I just missed the memo for some reason?

 

[vhsownsbeta]

Does anyone know what happened to the pre orders that did not pay LH's ultimatum extortion money? I havent seen an "we cancelled you" email so afaik, it's still on. Is fishy preparing another 'joke' for us or I just missed the memo for some reason?

An email on the 5th June said that you would have your refunds processed 'next week'.

 

[Head1]

Why not get a Schiit Yggy for that sort of money? The chord is at the end of the day a transportable dac for an insane amount of money. I think you are paying extra for the portability?

Yes it is a lot but it is high end and a game changer to many people. Also you can knock off about 50% if you buy used or if you go for a new 2qute. 
 
The point is people seem to be fixated on LH here. Wouldn't the continual posts of disappointment/caution be enough to put you off?

 

[nudd]

Yes it is a lot but it is high end and a game changer to many people. Also you can knock off about 50% if you buy used or if you go for a new 2qute. 

The point is people seem to be fixated on LH here. Wouldn't the continual posts of disappointment/caution be enough to put you off?

I don't disagree but at that price range you can probably get a better performance DAC for less money if portability is not an issue. Of course if you want a portable DAC there are less options ...

I think i will just stick to my GO 450 and a DAP (maybe the Questyle QP1. God knows when the wave will become available ...

 

[Head1]

I don't disagree but at that price range you can probably get a better performance DAC for less money if portability is not an issue. Of course if you want a portable DAC there are less options ...

I think i will just stick to my GO 450 and a DAP (maybe the Questyle QP1. God knows when the wave will become available ...

Which ones would they be?

 

[nudd]

Which ones would they be?

Well for full sized options the Yggdrasil is the first thing that comes to mind ...