Harmony µDAC

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Laiv Audio Harmony; Active filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Power amplifiers: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos & Gold Note monos on subwoofer; Headamp: Enleum AMP-23R; Phones: Raal 1995 Immanis, HifiMan Susvara; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Kinki Studio Earth, Furutech; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, LessLoss Firewall for loudspeakers, Furutech NCF Signal Boosters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-M7; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Loudspeakers: MonAcoustic SuperMon Mini + Dynaudio S18 sub; Power delivery: Furutech GTO 2D NCF, Akiko Audio Corelli; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Audioquest Fog Lifters; Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
Desktop system: Source: HP Z230 work station Win10/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC/Headamp: iFi Pro iDSD Signature; Speaker amps: Nord NC500 monos with v2 input buffers; Speakers: Acelec Model One; Headphones: Final D-8000, aune SR7000
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7, COS Engineering D1, Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Soul VI; Subwoofer: Zu Submission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: $994

"The Harmony µDAC and Harmony GaNM are finally here." That was Weng Fai Hoh reporting laiv from Singapore. In the same 0.7kg 168x40x98mm WxHxD micro chassis as the µDDC so very similar to the LExt input expander or the phono stage for the HP²A headphone/preamp, the µDAC borrows the Harmony DAC's discrete balanced R2R ladder conversion concept of 0.05% accuracy. It adds galvanic isolation between digital and analog circuitry, a 80Ω discrete class A output buffer, NOS/OS modes and I²S master-clock sync option via onboard Accusilicon AS318 clock.

It even has its own 25×7 dimmable dot-matrix display and works with the familiar here optional full-metal remote control. Data-density support over USB and I²S is 768kHz PCM and DSD256. I²S has eight different pin configs. Bandwidth is 20-20 ±¼dB, THD+N 0.005%, crosstalk better than 120dB, dynamic range better than 110dB. The story of these 200-watt class D GaNM monos with gallium-nitride transistors for high-speed switching at minimal dead time is told here. Weng requested that I keep both reviews separate.

So today is purely about DACing 'on the cheap' given the bigger sibling's $2'700 ask. If you're a desktop listener, smaller is sweeter, too. You couldn't really make a decent DAC much smaller than the µDAC. To go full pork—or is it reptile?—the matching µDDC below can act as second galvanic moat between source and DAC then generate a superior I²S feed for wherever a source only offers conventional S/PDIF or USB outputs. What's special about I²S? Rather than put l/r music and clock signal into one serial feed that needs 'descrambling' on the receive end, I²S transmits these signals over separate parallel lines as either traces on a circuit board or over a quad wire. One of the most popular plug types repurposed for external I²S transmission is HDMI though RJ45 has its own followers.

Given either plug's excess contacts, there's no industry norm on how to wire up its pins. It's why I²S without user-configurable pins is likely to mismatch the send/receive formats. It's why Laiv support the eight most popular pin configs. The µDAC's 15V/2A DC input takes the included switching power adaptor but common marketing sense says that sooner than later, Laiv will bow their own multi-port linear supply to upgrade the µRange models just as Nagra did for their Classic range whose external PSU can power up to three of their components at once.

Here we see Vinshine Audio's Alvin Chee holding the µDAC next to the µDDC and stacked, the Harmony DAC atop the HP²A for easy size comparison against the small stack of LExt and phono stage. Also note the GaNM on the upper far left shelf. A year after launch, Laiv's portfolio is already seven models deep. Talk about a comprehensive quick rollout. I was going to tip my hat but such a progressive gust blew it straight off my head. Rather than mere trickle-down, Alvin also tells us that the discrete true-balanced R2R modules in the µDAC are a flash flood so identical to what's in the $2'700 Harmony DAC. That obviously contains a linear power supply. Micro slurps its milkshake through a generic outboard wall wart. At less than half the price, something had to give. The question is, how much of a sonic rather than theoretical/idealistic impact does that have? With a Harmony DAC in matching silver on hand, I'd find out.