LAiV Harmony DAC 2 R2R DAC

The LAiV Harmony DAC 2 is a fully balanced, discrete R2R ladder DAC, designed in Singapore as the successor to the acclaimed Harmony DAC that put LAiV on the map. It keeps the original's heart - a precision R2R ladder with every resistor individually selected to 0.05% tolerance - and rebuilds everything around it, with seven confirmed upgrades including a discrete Class-A output buffer that drives XLR and RCA simultaneously. Selectable NOS, OS and hardware SRC modes, a direct 10MHz master clock input, full galvanic isolation and a new colour display complete a design housed in a unibody chassis CNC-machined from a solid block of aluminium.

The Hi-Fi Centre Team Take

The Harmony DAC 2 delivers the organic, natural sound that drew so many listeners to the original, now with an even quieter background and greater composure. Music has a full tonal body, rich harmonic texture and a long, relaxed decay, with the resolution and timing to keep complex recordings clear and engaging. Three PCM conversion modes let you tailor the presentation to your recordings and system, while full galvanic isolation keeps USB and source noise away from the conversion stage. With a 12V trigger, concurrent balanced and single-ended outputs and a direct master clock input, it is a superb, future-proof heart for a serious digital system.

Key Acoustic & Design Features

• Fully Balanced Discrete R2R Ladder: LAiV's precision-matched R2R ladder, with every resistor individually selected to 0.05% tolerance, sits on its own shielded module and is driven by an Intel Cyclone FPGA and Crystek CCHD-957 femto clock for natural, accurate conversion.
• Discrete Class-A Output Buffer: A newly developed discrete Class-A buffer drives the XLR and RCA outputs concurrently at low output impedance, isolating the ladder from the load and allowing two downstream components or systems to be connected at once.
• NOS, OS & SRC Modes with Direct Clock Input: Choose pure NOS, LAiV's in-house OS or the new hardware SRC for PCM, while a 50 ohm BNC input accepts a 10MHz master clock directly and full galvanic isolation blocks ground loops and upstream noise.
• Authorized Dealer Support: Hi-Fi Centre is an Authorized Dealer for LAiV, ensuring authentic products backed by full manufacturer warranty coverage, in-store demonstration and expert technical support.

Technical Specifications

• Brand & Model: LAiV Harmony DAC 2
• Component Type: Fully Balanced Discrete R2R Ladder DAC
• Architecture: LAiV fully balanced discrete precision-matched R2R ladder, 0.05% tolerance resistors
• Digital Engine / Clock: Intel Cyclone FPGA; Crystek CCHD-957 femto clock
• PCM Modes: NOS, in-house OS, hardware SRC (converts PCM up to 705.6/768kHz)
• DSD: Converted to multi-bit for the R2R ladder
• Digital Inputs: USB, optical, coaxial, I2S (selectable pinouts), 10MHz master clock
• USB / I2S Format Support: PCM up to 768kHz; DSD256
• Optical / Coaxial Format Support: PCM up to 192kHz; DSD64 (DoP)
• 10MHz Clock Input: BNC, 50 ohms, 0.5 - 3.3V
• Analogue Outputs: XLR and RCA, concurrent use supported
• Output Buffer: Discrete Class-A, low output impedance
• Output Voltage / Impedance: XLR 4.15Vrms, <50 ohms; RCA 2.08Vrms, <25 ohms
• THD+N: 0.0035%
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >125 dB
• Dynamic Range: >110 dB
• Crosstalk: <-120 dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (±0.25 dB)
• Isolation: Full galvanic isolation between input and output stages
• Display: 960 x 400 TFT colour LCD
• Additional Features: 12V trigger in and out, CD track info over S/PDIF, selectable I2S clock source, USB-C firmware updates
• Remote Control: Harmony RCX, included
• Power Supply: Ultra-low-noise toroidal transformer; 100 - 127V / 220 - 240V AC, 50/60 Hz
• Power Consumption: 14.7W operating; 2.5W standby
• Chassis: Unibody, CNC-machined from solid aluminium
• Finish: Black or Silver
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 255 mm x 250 mm x 50 mm (75 mm with spikes)
• Weight: 4.3 kg

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the differences between the Harmony DAC and the Harmony DAC 2?

The Harmony DAC 2 keeps the original's fully balanced discrete R2R ladder, unibody chassis and modular design, and adds seven upgrades: a discrete Class-A output buffer driving XLR and RCA concurrently, a hardware SRC mode alongside NOS and OS, a direct 10MHz master clock input, full galvanic isolation between input and output, a 12V trigger in and out, a 960 x 400 colour LCD replacing the grayscale OLED, and USB-C firmware updates. LAiV has also announced an upgrade kit to bring existing Harmony DACs up to DAC 2 specification.

Should I use NOS, OS or SRC mode?

It depends on your recordings, your system and your personal taste. NOS offers the most direct, purist signal path, LAiV's in-house OS mode provides a more refined, filtered presentation, and the hardware SRC converts PCM to 705.6 or 768kHz before the ladder. These modes apply to PCM only, as DSD is converted to multi-bit for the R2R ladder. Our team is happy to demonstrate the differences in our showroom.

Do I need a DDC to use an external master clock?

No. Unlike the original Harmony DAC, which required a DDC feeding I2S for external clocking, the Harmony DAC 2 accepts a 10MHz master clock directly through its 50 ohm BNC input. Without a master clock, its internal Crystek femto clock delivers excellent timing on its own.