croak
R.I.P. 28 June 2021
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2007
- Messages
- 14,317
- Reaction score
- 941
I have been listening to the Lead Audio DAC LA-100 for the last 3 days or so. I saw this unit at the Munich High End show.
I liked the compact form factor and well finished feel of their products. I then chatted to its designer and liked his approach to certain things and the fact that he has been around and understands the game. So I stuck a sample in my suitcase.
The DAC is tiny (Eurocard Size) about 110w x 140d x 45h mm. It features 3 inputs, co ax, toslink and USB which are selected from the front panel with a push button.
Outputs are a volume controlled (rotary knob) headphone output driven by 2 opamps in paralel for extra grunt and conventional line outputs. A front panel button selects either headphone or line output. Selection of one mutes the other. A cool feature I think.
The listening.
I have been listening to this DAC in the conventional sense IE with my Theta CD transport and line level in to the main rig. I have not yet used its USB input nor listened to the headphone output.
This DAC imo does tone first, the rest second. IMO a lot of modern DACs seem to realy bring out detail, space and air but leave me feeling things are just a little thin.
The Lead Audio does not do this. Voices have nice tone and warmth and the presentation is relaxed yet with a powerful bottom end. In fact this part of its sound belies the fact it runs of a switch mode wall wart. The sound stage is quite nice and wide and deep with good space.
This is not a DAC for folks who like their music bright as a morning sunlight, rather it is for those who will enjoy the variety and different intonations of the afternoon sun.
I have enjoyed this DAC so far and have not had a burning desire to go back to my standard DAC, something I often find with new digital gear that comes around here.
SPDIF inputs support sampling frequencies up to 200 kHz @ 24 bits and USB up to 48 kHz but Lead Audio are working on an upgrade to take this to 96 kHz which will involve the swap out of a socketed EPROM type chip.
There is another product in the current line up, the DAC Amp LA-200. It offers more inputs including analogue but has a built in 25 Watt stereo amplifier. All this in a box the size of a decent novel.
Soon to be released is the LA-300, same as the LA-200 DAC amp but with added built in digital room eq. THAT sounds exciting.
Lead Audio LA-100 DAC:
-192kHz/24bit upsampling DAC (Burr Brown)
- Professional grade sample rate converter for removing audio jitter
- Low phase noise Colpitts clock reference with AT cut Crystal
- The analog output signal is DC coupled, meaning no sound degrading capacitors in LA-100 series with the analog signal path
- The analog power supply is both a series and a shunt design with very low noise
- The analog signal processing is done by ultra low noise and distortion type opamps (allows its performance with far better than the normally used NE5532/34)
- High efficiency power supply design for saving the environment
http://www.lead-audio.com/leadaudio_products.html
I liked the compact form factor and well finished feel of their products. I then chatted to its designer and liked his approach to certain things and the fact that he has been around and understands the game. So I stuck a sample in my suitcase.
The DAC is tiny (Eurocard Size) about 110w x 140d x 45h mm. It features 3 inputs, co ax, toslink and USB which are selected from the front panel with a push button.
Outputs are a volume controlled (rotary knob) headphone output driven by 2 opamps in paralel for extra grunt and conventional line outputs. A front panel button selects either headphone or line output. Selection of one mutes the other. A cool feature I think.
The listening.
I have been listening to this DAC in the conventional sense IE with my Theta CD transport and line level in to the main rig. I have not yet used its USB input nor listened to the headphone output.
This DAC imo does tone first, the rest second. IMO a lot of modern DACs seem to realy bring out detail, space and air but leave me feeling things are just a little thin.
The Lead Audio does not do this. Voices have nice tone and warmth and the presentation is relaxed yet with a powerful bottom end. In fact this part of its sound belies the fact it runs of a switch mode wall wart. The sound stage is quite nice and wide and deep with good space.
This is not a DAC for folks who like their music bright as a morning sunlight, rather it is for those who will enjoy the variety and different intonations of the afternoon sun.
I have enjoyed this DAC so far and have not had a burning desire to go back to my standard DAC, something I often find with new digital gear that comes around here.
SPDIF inputs support sampling frequencies up to 200 kHz @ 24 bits and USB up to 48 kHz but Lead Audio are working on an upgrade to take this to 96 kHz which will involve the swap out of a socketed EPROM type chip.
There is another product in the current line up, the DAC Amp LA-200. It offers more inputs including analogue but has a built in 25 Watt stereo amplifier. All this in a box the size of a decent novel.
Soon to be released is the LA-300, same as the LA-200 DAC amp but with added built in digital room eq. THAT sounds exciting.
Lead Audio LA-100 DAC:
-192kHz/24bit upsampling DAC (Burr Brown)
- Professional grade sample rate converter for removing audio jitter
- Low phase noise Colpitts clock reference with AT cut Crystal
- The analog output signal is DC coupled, meaning no sound degrading capacitors in LA-100 series with the analog signal path
- The analog power supply is both a series and a shunt design with very low noise
- The analog signal processing is done by ultra low noise and distortion type opamps (allows its performance with far better than the normally used NE5532/34)
- High efficiency power supply design for saving the environment
http://www.lead-audio.com/leadaudio_products.html
