The Harmony µDAC Is The Perfect Marriage Of Style And Functionality

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The Harmony μDAC is one of the best DACs you can get for under $1,000

If you want to become an audiophile, congratulations! You just entered the fun and exciting world of extremely expensive devices. If you want the best of the best, you might need to take out a second mortgage on your house. However, not all high-quality audio devices cost an arm and a leg. There are several audio companies that provide great devices for a reasonable price. LAiV offers the new Harmony μDAC, an amazing DAC you can buy for under $1,000.

LAiV has an extensive background in the high-quality audio industry with more than 50 years of collective experience. The company aims to bring Singaporean craftsmanship to more places in the world. So, you get a high degree of quality with its devices. You’ll hear it and feel it when you use its products.

The Harmony μDAC is one of the best DACs you can get for under $1,000

When it comes to getting a high-quality DAC, you’ll most likely run into prices upwards of $4,000. While those are great devices, they’re not typically necessary. Depending on your needs, you could be better served with a much more affordable device. Enter the Harmony μDAC with its $994 price tag.

We have to admit that it’s not that much lower than $1,000, but it still much cheaper than many of the DACs on the market. While it’s more accessible, it doesn’t mean that it’s low-quality in any way. LAiV still paid as much attention to detail as its other products. So, what makes this device worth your time, attention, and better yet, your money?

Compact, with an emphasis on “Packed”

Design can play a big role in a device’s overall experience. In the case of the Harmony μDAC, LAiV really nailed it. It’s a stunning and well-put-together device that has a very unique overall aesthetic. It’s a rather small device, which means that it can fit in with most audio setups. You won’t need to worry about having a ton of desk space when you set it up.

While it’s small, it’s still a well-built DAC. LAiV used top-quality materials to craft the Harmony μDAC, and it shows. It’s built from aerospace-grade aluminum using precision CNC machining. You know that it will last you for years and years without failing on you.

Moving onto the actual design, the company went for a Less Is More approach. The body is completely black (there’s also a silver version), and all of the buttons are gold. This contrast of colors makes for a good-looking device. There’s a large golden nob on the front of the DAC along with two smaller golden buttons. These are accompanied by golden feet below the device.

The overall shape is pretty minimalist, but there’s an angled corner that gives the design some character. It contrasts the rounded corners at the other end of it. Topping off the design, there’s a large display. It’s a simple LCD dot matrix display that shows you essential information.

All in all, this is a gorgeous device.

Moving onto the audio

As you can guess, the Harmony μDAC gives you some amazing audio quality. Its job is to convert the digital signal from your computer into a crystal clear analog signal, and it does this with great proficiency. This is thanks to the ultra-low phase noise femto oscillator designed by Accusilion. This ensures top-of-the-line audio performance.

Along with that, there’s also compatibility with I²S Master Clock Synchronisation. With this, your audio will be perfectly timed. Not many people know what effect the timing can have on the audio output.

Using a balanced discrete R-2R architecture, you’ll have unmatched audio fidelity. All of these technologies come together to deliver an audio experience that’s unheard of for its affordable price.

Inputs and outputs

You have a good selection of inputs, so you can plug the Harmony μDAC into most audio setups. You have USB, I2S, COAX, and Optical. As for output, you have XLR. It’s important to note that there’s no headphone jack. So, you won’t be able to use this as your personal computer DAC. Many DACs come with this feature.

Specs

Finish: Black/Silver & Gold Anodised Aluminium & Temperered Glass
Weight: 0.7kg
Display: 25×7 dot-matrix LED display
Processor: Intel Altera Cyclone FPGA
Clock: Accusilicon AS318-B Ultra-Low Phase Noise FEMTO Oscillator
Digital Inputs:
1 x USB
1 x Optical
1 x Coaxial
1 x I2S
Analog Output: 1 x XLR, maximum at 4 Vrms, approx. 82 Ω
Supported formats:
USB:
PCM: 44.1kHz – 768kHz
DSD: DSD64 – DSD256
Optical:
PCM: 44.1kHz – 192kHz
DSD: DSD64 via DoPonlyCoaxial:
PCM: 44.1kHz – 192kHz
DSD: DSD64 via DoP onlyI2S:
PCM: 44.1kHz – 768kHz
DSD: DSD64 – DSD256
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz, within ± 0.25 dB
THD+N: 0.006 %
Crosstalk: ≤ -120 dB
Singla to Noise Ratio: ≥ 125 dB
Dynamic Range: ≥ 110 dB
Features:
Sleek & Compact design
NOS / OS Mode
Positive / negative phase
Display brightness, delay dim, and delay off
8 x I2S Mode with Laiv product auto-configured
I2S clock supported
Galvanic isolation for enhanced signal purity
LAiV Harmony R-2R ladder network architecture
iscrete class A output buffer.
Power: 15VDC / 2A, DC 5.5/2.5 mm female.