LAiV Harmony R2R DAC Impression and Reviews
- Thread starter tassardar
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nice full GaNM review. I want them even more.
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GaNM is the first class-D amp tech I've heard that I'm legitimately hyped over. As always it's not just technology but how it's implemented. Laiv is quickly building a solid rep though.
![]eep](https://cdn.head-fi.org/avatars/m/139/139747.jpg?1273084439){kind=avatar}
]eep
Headphoneus Supremus
The first sentence is quite an opening. 
I just got an email from a DIY hifi store with the new offerings for Purify poweramps. Together with Hypex and Ice-Power. I didn't find the prices particularly affordable (€1500). And that's just a bare power amplifier without any extras, taste or tuning. Lack of shielding, cheap internal wiring with clips etc. Doesn't make my heart jump for joy.
And no GaNFET of course.
I just got an email from a DIY hifi store with the new offerings for Purify poweramps. Together with Hypex and Ice-Power. I didn't find the prices particularly affordable (€1500). And that's just a bare power amplifier without any extras, taste or tuning. Lack of shielding, cheap internal wiring with clips etc. Doesn't make my heart jump for joy.
And no GaNFET of course.
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I have a couple different GaN amps and the best so far is the Rose 180. Look forward to listening to the Laiv.
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]eep
Headphoneus Supremus
I see you edited your comment. Blanket statements are not smart.
Especially when it comes to people. But I agree, I don't like everyone. But the majority are music lovers just like us. If you want to make money a hifi YouTube channel is not the smartest choice. And I have to say; Iwii reviews does not do BS. I've been to Croatia and Serbia a few times and their mindset is very different from the American capitalistic materialistic view. I haven't had the privilege of listening to a GaNFET amp yet. But from what I'm hearing and reading it's getting more and more enticing.
I took the gasbag comment out. Most of these folks are paid promoters. My DNA is eastern Europe, so I know what to digest. Don't really care about the YouTube content.I see you edited your comment. Blanket statements are not smart.
I haven't had the privilege of listening to a GaNFET amp yet. But from what I'm hearing and reading it's getting more and more enticing.
Just saying that I do like the Laiv products and can't wait to listen to their amps.
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]eep
Headphoneus Supremus
T'es trop vite.
I'm getting more and more convinced. Still saving up...
The GaNFET technology is like the best of class A, B and D. The sweet mids of A, the grunt of B and efficiency of D. With space, air and detail without fatigue.
If only... I went to the dark side first, like playing Star Wars on the side of the Empire. I'm looking at lord Vaders helmet. I should have gone to the silver, light side. Be the Jedi that I am.
droptables
Head-Fier
I've been reading through this thread, as I had been researching and watching both the Laiv Harmony DAC and the HP2A for a bit.
I finally decided to pull the trigger and pick up the stack.
Background on my why:
I was looking into a pre-amp, as I was looking to get better volume control from a couple of my tube amps.
I originally tried a couple headphone amps that I had around, that had pre-amps as well. First was the Topping L70, which the second I heard it. I disconnected it. The second was the Singxer-SA1 which was much better in spacial and details than the L70 but still felt like I was missing things in the music, what those were I couldn't place my finger on, but I knew I was missing something.
Realizing how much a difference in sound a pre-amp made. I started researching Pre-amps, ran across a few reviews of the Laiv HP2A and it fit more in line with what I was looking for. Not Trying to add even more pieces to the source, but something that I could use as both a headphone amp and a pre for my tube amps. Without having to sacrifice in a pre-amp or a headphone amp. I kept hearing how well the HP2A and the Harmony DAC synergized. I decided to pull the trigger on both, as I knew I would have a case of FOMO if I didn't.
Initial impressions:
Coming from the Topping D90 Discrete and the Homage headphone amp it was a night and day difference. The first headphone I tried with this was the ZMF Bokeh Open(BO). The bass was deeper, instruments and vocals seemed a little further back, not so in your face. Which was one thing that I didn't like as much with the BO as with the rest of their line up. It felt like there was less of a difference between the BO's and the Atrium Open (AO). This was until I tried the AO's. With the AO's, I found myself asking do I really still need a tube amp with this setup? I was getting really spacious and holographic stage with The AO's, along with gobs of detail and texture. The Harmony stack takes ZMF's to another level. I then tried the Drop+Grell OAE1's for kicks and giggles. This made improvements but nothing like the improvements I felt on the ZMF's.
Now, for why I bought it. To my previous question, I asked myself after hearing the AO's on the HP2A. The Answer: Yes, yes I do. While the Laiv stack is absolutely amazing, adding it to my A&S Mogwai as a pre. Took everything to a level I have never experienced before. It exceeded everything I was hearing on just the Laiv stack. Adding the Mogwai, revealed insane textures, where I could hear the texture of the bows as they glided across strings on violins, in a detail I have never experienced before. You could hear the guitar amps on live performances, and could pick out the distortion of the amp rather than it just blending in with the rest of the music. You can fixate on every detail. I am just completely blown away by this stack. This wasn't a jump in everything that this stack adds, but a gigantic leap. Wanting to listen to all my music again. Song's I got bored of now reveal completely new details.
I'm only 20+ hours burn in, I'm expecting some changes as the DAC breaks in more. Experienced the difference of sound with the break in, from my experience with the Hifiman EF400.
I finally decided to pull the trigger and pick up the stack.
Background on my why:
I was looking into a pre-amp, as I was looking to get better volume control from a couple of my tube amps.
I originally tried a couple headphone amps that I had around, that had pre-amps as well. First was the Topping L70, which the second I heard it. I disconnected it. The second was the Singxer-SA1 which was much better in spacial and details than the L70 but still felt like I was missing things in the music, what those were I couldn't place my finger on, but I knew I was missing something.
Realizing how much a difference in sound a pre-amp made. I started researching Pre-amps, ran across a few reviews of the Laiv HP2A and it fit more in line with what I was looking for. Not Trying to add even more pieces to the source, but something that I could use as both a headphone amp and a pre for my tube amps. Without having to sacrifice in a pre-amp or a headphone amp. I kept hearing how well the HP2A and the Harmony DAC synergized. I decided to pull the trigger on both, as I knew I would have a case of FOMO if I didn't.
Initial impressions:
Coming from the Topping D90 Discrete and the Homage headphone amp it was a night and day difference. The first headphone I tried with this was the ZMF Bokeh Open(BO). The bass was deeper, instruments and vocals seemed a little further back, not so in your face. Which was one thing that I didn't like as much with the BO as with the rest of their line up. It felt like there was less of a difference between the BO's and the Atrium Open (AO). This was until I tried the AO's. With the AO's, I found myself asking do I really still need a tube amp with this setup? I was getting really spacious and holographic stage with The AO's, along with gobs of detail and texture. The Harmony stack takes ZMF's to another level. I then tried the Drop+Grell OAE1's for kicks and giggles. This made improvements but nothing like the improvements I felt on the ZMF's.
Now, for why I bought it. To my previous question, I asked myself after hearing the AO's on the HP2A. The Answer: Yes, yes I do. While the Laiv stack is absolutely amazing, adding it to my A&S Mogwai as a pre. Took everything to a level I have never experienced before. It exceeded everything I was hearing on just the Laiv stack. Adding the Mogwai, revealed insane textures, where I could hear the texture of the bows as they glided across strings on violins, in a detail I have never experienced before. You could hear the guitar amps on live performances, and could pick out the distortion of the amp rather than it just blending in with the rest of the music. You can fixate on every detail. I am just completely blown away by this stack. This wasn't a jump in everything that this stack adds, but a gigantic leap. Wanting to listen to all my music again. Song's I got bored of now reveal completely new details.
I'm only 20+ hours burn in, I'm expecting some changes as the DAC breaks in more. Experienced the difference of sound with the break in, from my experience with the Hifiman EF400.
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