Luxury & Precision (LP) Portable USB DAC/AMP W1 and W2 (The new W2-131 Version is Available, Related Info on Post #1)

[HiFyAK2020]

I just took a look at this driver package. It appears to contain a USB audio driver from a company named Comtrue Inc. and it does include both native Windows drivers as well as an ASIO driver. Unfortunately the ASIO driver seems to be incompatible with JRiver and the native Windows driver exhibit the same problem as the build-in Windows 10 USB audio driver. DSD data in DOP format streams to the device which detects it and displays DSD 2822.4K but there is no sound from the device. This looks like a firmware issue.

I will uninstall this custom driver go back to the Windows 10 Built-in USB audio driver and wait for a firmware update. This driver will be useful for older versions of Windows that did lack a generic USB audio 2 driver.

Hm, you have an issue to use the W2 on a windows 10 PC or Notebook ? That is strange because on my notebook it works immediately and in the device driver section of the OS I can even see that the used Audio driver is a L&P W2 driver.
If you use W10 then i suggest you de-install all the Audio drivers that you used with W2 so far and basically just plugging in the W2 should automatically install the right driver that works with your device. The latest OS of W2 is V1.0.1.3 and since all of them who were sold are "still fresh from production" I am almost sure that is the version that you have on your dongle.
I do have my notebook connected to a separate screen via HDMI and the screen also has loudspeakers and HDMI can play audio - so maybe you also need to check on which output you are going to play your sounds - because the PC or Notebook may use the other output and then you don't hear anything on the W2 of course...

It's this little symbol that you need to right-click on your mouse to open the sound settings and there on the top you choose the output source... If it says (like in the screenshot below Realtek something - it is NOT sending the Audio signal to the W2. But if you select the other one Speaker (LuxuryPredcision UAC) then you are IN.
Maybe you already anyway know all that - so don't take me wrong to have explained all that so in detail

 

[Ales R]

continuation of my posts #823 (first), #871 (last)

Thanks a lot for your info and test, it calmed me a little bit, we'll see what the guy from L&P says, but as it seems iPhone power supply restriction is the true reason...

This is because the iPhone's USB output current is strictly limited, about 100mA, so if the iPhone's output is unlimited, there will be no problem.
Best regards,
L&P
Sales Director
ZhangTao

 

[musicday]

The W2 has completely changed my phone, earphone, and the mobile listening experience. Just fantastic.
W2 for music and S1 for movies.

 

[FooFighter]

continuation of my posts #823 (first), #871 (last)

This is because the iPhone's USB output current is strictly limited, about 100mA, so if the iPhone's output is unlimited, there will be no problem.
Best regards,
L&P
Sales Director
ZhangTao

Interesting, but what does that mean?
Is that now a hardware or IOS software restriction?
Plus I had no limitation connecting Full Size Cans but only with my sensitive Andromeda IEM on loudness level which I am anyway not ever using...

 

[FooFighter]

The W2 has completely changed my phone, earphone, and the mobile listening experience. Just fantastic.
W2 for music and S1 for movies.

Gave S1 back so cannot compare anymore but I found Movie mode on W2 quite enjoying yesterday night watching Amazon Prime on my IPad Pro

 

[twister6]

What happend here?? A high end/TOTL dongle dac that cost a premium and then they cheaped out on the cable that doesnt match the W2 at all and also that has a flimsy connector?

Some compromize or last minute changes must have happend, cause this doesnt look right at all. Doesnt look luxury or precision over that.

They should sell one in black

From what I heard, it is actually the other way around. They initially released black cable and then had to update the design, new cable is white to distinguish it from their original black cable. Not sure if something got lost in translation of explanation for redesign, but it was related to performance at higher volume, and I'm just guessing that maybe they had to optimize the cable with thicker gauge wires to handle higher current. And also one of the reasons you shouldn't have issues using other aftermarket usb-c cables because those are designed to handle QC3.0 and PD charging with higher voltage/current.

 

[Cat Music]

As W2 only has USB-C input and not output, that can only be the balanced port.
So you'll need some balanced 4,4mm to 4,4mm interconnect cable.
Looking forward to your findings.
Am myself going to try pairing with Auriolus BA300S tube amp once it arrived

Sorry I couldn't help but wonder how you will make the 4.4 output become line output on the W2 when only 3.5 output is the line output that w2 has implemented

 

[FooFighter]

Sorry I couldn't help but wonder how you will make the 4.4 output become line output on the W2 when only 3.5 output is the line output that w2 has implemented

Where is that stated on paper?
Twister tested LO on balanced high gain at volume 100 if I am not mistaken on C9

 

[twister6]

Sorry I couldn't help but wonder how you will make the 4.4 output become line output on the W2 when only 3.5 output is the line output that w2 has implemented

Don't think either 3.5mm or 4.4mm was implemented as LO. Was it stated somewhere officially by L&P? In one of my previous posts, I did test W2 with 4.4mm at max volume going to C9 and there was no distortion or clipping. So in theory balanced 4.4mm headphone output could be used with external amp, at least in my example with C9.

 

[ClieOS]

Surely some of you want to know these:

Output impedance:
SE: 0.89 ohm
Bal: 0.48 ohm

Power draw is only second to E1DA 9038S G3 in all my Type-C adapter, though output power is also only second to E1DA. This means it will drain your smartphone a little faster, but at the same time you'll get more power out of it. So basically just physics.

 

[ClieOS]

There is no mention of LO in either W1 or W2, AFAIK.

 

[FooFighter]

Surely some of you want to know these:

Output impedance:
SE: 0.89 ohm
Bal: 0.48 ohm

Power draw is only second to E1DA 9038S G3 in all my Type-C adapter, though output power is also only second to E1DA. This means it will drain your smartphone a little faster, but at the same time you'll get more power out of it. So basically just physics.

Thx alot!
I was looking for these numbers and couldn't find them!
Impedance is really important with some IEMs as it is for my Andros and 0,5 balanced seems to work really well

 

[NinjaGirayaZ]

Just as an experiment I have ordered a used fully balanced Oriolus BA300S mobile tube amp from a Head Fi friend mainly to pair with my DX220 Max and my Full Size Cans but I will post how it will pair with W2.
This could be a really nice mobile combo and potentially solve eventual synergy issues with Full Size Cans and W2

I have a Ba300s (new model with red light), it is phenomenal, even with hot dacs like Hip dac, the holography and details are improved by adding slightly the timbre of the valves. In my more neutral Dx160, I don't see much difference. When pairing yours with W2 say your feedback.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Don't think either 3.5mm or 4.4mm was implemented as LO. Was it stated somewhere officially by L&P? In one of my previous posts, I did test W2 with 4.4mm at max volume going to C9 and there was no distortion or clipping. So in theory balanced 4.4mm headphone output could be used with external amp, at least in my example with C9.

From a Chinese review that the reviewer sets the volume to 100 and pair it with C9. He stated that this is doing the LO from W2, but I agree with you that this should not be. Still, it is glad to see that there is no distortion at volume 100.

 

[Cat Music]

this image made me believe that only 3.5 output would work as line output

Now if you look well in the next photo, it can be seen that the side that the Oriulus amplifier cable is connected to the w2 is through the 3.5 output, if I'm not mistaken:

@twister6 Going back to your experience with the C9 amplifier, I see that it has worked normally, so yes it can, I do not understand why those images confused me at the beginning, thanks for the clarification, also to @FooFighter