HP²A

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: Sonnet Pasithea; Headamp: Kinki Studio THR-1; Speaker amp: Crayon CFA-1.2; Speakers: Acelec Model One Headphones: Final D-8000 & Sonorous X, Audeze LCD-XC, Raal-Requisite SR1a on Schiit Jotunheim R
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: $2'700, add $350 for optional LExt IN2

Composite with original render, Susvara Unveiled & Tungsten.

Vitamin C. 'C' words come in all sizes. A fan unfavourite is compromise. We all acknowledge it with bended knee but like to pretend that we don't. Confirmation can be salve for the uncertain soul. When it comes to Laiv's Harmony DAC, by July 4th 2024 it had already nabbed compound confirmation with awards from us, Twittering Machines, HighFidelity.pl, SoundNews.net and YouTuber Grzegorz of speaker brands Cube and Qualio; plus at least five more gushing reviews. For a new brand's maiden product, that was quite the collection of trophies; a kind of Phelpsian gold grab in a single season's audio Olympics. Yet all along we knew this was just the start. Since day one their site had teased a road map of four more models. Today is about the first of that second wave. It's the HP²A, a matching half-width headfi and preamplifier in silver or black with gold detailing either way; and matching FMJ remote. For the less-is-more crew of hifi builders, one thing the Harmony DAC lacked was analogue volume. It couldn't direct-drive an amp or active speaker. The HP²A adds that plus drive-all headphone gain. HeadFi is second only to phonostages in just how critical it is of residual noise. Vinyl's demand for extreme gain amplifies microscopic noise to unacceptable levels because upstream gain in linestages and power amps piles on.

HeadFi's challenge is transducer proximity plus potential efficiency. With drivers within centimetres of our ear drums, noise has nowhere to hide. Yet certain flagship earspeakers like Susvara and Tungsten demand high power. A headphone amp for all seasons and reasons must combine high gain/drive with extremely low noise to also cater to high-sensitivity emo loads. Those contrary demands equally suit a first-rate preamp. Adding to a headamp RCA/XLR outputs for speaker amps makes perfect sense. Where a dedicated headfi amp needs no remote control or display when we sit within reach, a serious preamp mandates both. A display preferably of the numerical sort must be big enough to remain legible from 3-4 metres. Ideally it adds a black-out option for nocturnal sessions which briefly lights up with remote triggers.

Given compact size, could the HP²A tick all of those boxes without forcing us to bend too low to reality's big boss Lord Compromise? With a planned Q3 reveal, the jury when I wrote this intro was still out but a certain (cough) member on it already mighty curious. The maiden model's unusual gold grab had set stiff expectations. Could Laiv follow up with equal style and panache? If compromise relative to max power was to be in the cards—just how big of a power supply fits inside—what about the pending Harmony LExt? It looked like an outboard power supply. These were tantalizing questions for our daily dose of vitamin C.

By mid July: "The HP²A is in the testing phase. We'll share more details soon. The LExt is actually its extension unit, not a bigger power supply." A first full-frontal HP²A render showed 4.4mm, 6.3mm and XLR4 outputs. Without a render of the rear but Weng's hint that LExt is no power supply, LExt just had to be an i/o expander for extra sources on RCA/XLR plus likely added outputs for bi-amping or subwoofers. What else could it be? Since the roadmap already showed compact likely class D GanFet monos to visualize Laiv's ambitions toward a one-stop electronics pack that won't force buyers to shop elsewhere, which other source category might LExt also address to be called complete? Black licorice? By August 12th, "I'm excited to share that the HP²A is ready, almost! It took us close to 8 months and six prototypes. We're now arranging the first production batch. I'm working on finalizing the specs to share with everyone soon. In the meantime, please enjoy the preview photo below."

From this photo I wasn't yet sure. Would the volume readout remain legible at 3-4 metres in the chair? Might it enter zoom mode to temporarily enlarge whilst we adjust the volume? We also see a small toggle above the 4.4mm port. This should select the front/rear outputs to switch between headfi/speaker mode. What type of other adjustments would the menu incorporate? Gain trim? Crossfeed? Display off and brightness? Other? Just then curiosity had to take more vitamin C and calm itself. Crickey!

The perforated window for the internal heatsink duplicates on the underneath of the chassis.