Light Harmonic Geek Wave

[miceblue]

For those who don't get the e-mail updates:

Dear Wave backers,

Cut to the chase. Let's see some photo of our Wave chassis in two colors. (Gun metal gray, and Red)

We didn't beautify these pictures. And these are still pretty enough. You could see the overall design language just fit our original direction but more refined. Two pocket there are for battery and SOM.

And we are finalizing the touch screen frame with vendor so the 5'' high resolution screen could mount up there.

On the other hand, let me show you the long waiting Audio Precision Test report of our EP 3.5 PCB. The result is amazing.

The photo below is a quick snap I took when we are testing. Unlike last Audio Precision update. This time the board is fully integrated with nice battery (3100mA here. Could use 5000mA too), USB C connection (a little bit hard to see), fully balanced output and single-ended output for headphone, digital circuits are all working here as well. And here we try to make the output gain even higher to 6V (!!) and it still works very well.

Let's see the THD+N in 1K Hz with 45K bandwidth first.

Both channel's distortion are even much lower than previous PCB and our specs. You might ask why two channels THD are different? That is because we hand matched the left channel and didn't work on right yet. In production PCB, both channel will be the same. And Signature Edition will have the hand match fine tuned for even better.

Signal To Noise ratio is very nice too. 116dB (None-weighted) in 45K bandwidth. On Wave "IEM" version, this element is super important.

The Frequency Response is surely flat all the way to 40K Hz.

Please notice, the smooth high frequency roll off here is done by a nice analog low pass filter. I personally prefer use more analog components to roll off instead of using harsh digital filter to do that. Benefit? Time domain accuracy and better phase error.

In Wave's user menu, you will still have the choice of different digital modes. Including FRM, TCM and FTM. Also, there are GAIN settings for different type of earbuds and headphones.

For now, we are pretty happy for the whole system sound performance. And you ask, how does it sound? My answer is: As good as it could get. Although currently there are several hand wired jumpers and few patches on the board. But my ears told me, this is a winner!

We will collect all the places need to be changed on this prototype and we should have the pre-production PCB design done on third week of Sep.

For software and user interface, I will make another update.

Larry

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Just a bit more....
 

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Their serious on that Wave logo? Or just something they place for reference?
 
Rather like to have an engraved LH Labs logo with no paint at the bottom or no logo at all... 
 
If the need to place the Wave word like to see it engraved with the modern twist/script look (or none at all just the engraved logo).
 
Other than that great Update!

 

[Maelob]

Don't forget,  the more inputs we provide the more time will take to get our product LOL

 

[nudd]

So far all the updates is regarding the balance output performance but what about all of us who ordered the lower models?

Please do some AP tests and post results on the unbalanced outputs and power output levels, etc.

 

[Audio Addict]

I ordered the carbon fiber case, I hope that looks much more refined. This case seems non-exciting to me for the level of DAP it is suppose to be.

 

[LargoCantabile]

About the Carbon Fibre case etc. I ordered that not for fashion statement reasons but simply becasue there was a controversy going on in discussion about HEAT and my online research seemed to suggest a Carbon Fibre Case would result in the least heat problems. I am still interested in having a case that conducts away heat because I so aware that heat kills electronic devices faster than anything else. I am quite prepared to go with whatever will be the best case to keep the DAP cool. If titanium is cooler I will go with that etc.

 

[greenkiwi]

I would have thought that aluminum with have better heat dissipation?

Also, we three carbon fiber cases purely cosmetic?

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

So the Wave's size is more or like my Revive...hmmm.

 

[vwinter]

So they spent 2 years refining the design of the case into a rectangle with filleted edges. Ok.

Not to kick what is probably a blessing in disguise in the mouth, but...

 

[LargoCantabile]

The Big Question is How will wave sound stack up against the new Sony.
Already it seems Sony has a longer play length BUT does t have a replaceable batter battery?

 

[doctorjazz]

Still think Wave has potential for great sound! Won't know for sure, of course, until one is spotted in the wild.

 

[wingsounds13]

If battery run time is your metric then there are many DAPs that are and will be superior to the Wave. Storage capacity will tell a different story, as the Wave having two SDXC slots and a 42mm m.2 connection, the potential storage capacity of the Wave is superior to any other DAP that I know of.

If you use sound quality as your metric then the Wave is almost certain to be in very rare company. I can't say the best as only a few have heard the Wave in its current prototype form, but if reports of the sound of the similar Geek Out V2a and V2+ anything to go on then the Wave is going to be very good indeed.

On that, I am curious as to how the different models will compare. I am in for an X128 dual aq2m DAC, femto and an X128 single aq2m DAC no femto, so that is the only comparison within the line that I will be able to make - assuming that they make both (or even either) of those models. The best that I have on hand to compare them to are a Sansa Fuze and an iRiver H320, both of which are good MP3 players but nowhere near a current high end DAP.

J.P.

 

[doctorjazz]

I have three GO Signature Edition (v1), which I thing is great sounding (use it as a dac). Seems to me the upper end Waves may be similar.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Wave >= V2A/V2+ Infinity (or not) will be happy. Wishing to be >. If it is, then after this much time, I think the project is still valid.
Considering this as T-Bills with 3-4year maturity. :rolleyes: