Review Context
The uDAC was listened to in the main system, which consists of the CH Precision C1.2 DAC, CH Precision L1 preamplifier, CH Precision A1.5 power amp, and Magico S1 MkII speakers. Digital sources include the Antipodes K50 and Grimm MU1 music servers and the Aqua Diva M2 CD transport. All interlinks are Driade Flow Link Reference 808, balanced and unbalanced, and the speaker cables are Driade Flow Reference 808.
In addition to the usual Magico S1 loudspeakers, I also used the Apogee Centaur and Driade Premium Model 9.
All components, including the review components, are powered by the PS Audio P20 PowerPlant.
The uDAC was connected to power and allowed more than a week to acclimatize before serious assessments began.
Listening – Coax
The Laiv uDAC is super-small, so much so that it feels more like an interface, rather than a fully-fledged DAC. For my first impressions, I put it on top of the Aqua La Diva M2 CD transport that I used as the primary source. To protect the player’s sensitive open-structure coating (which absorbs solvents) I used a cork mat underneath. I’m pretty sure that the Laiv footers are not harmful, but I already permanently stained one of the Aqua components, so I felt it was better to be safe than sorry. By the way, normal anodized surfaces are not sensitive to the effect above, so you can safely stack multiple Laiv units atop one another. After being connected for a few hours, the unit gets quite warm, although not hot.
Gorgeous packing, as always!
The uDAC offers the choice between NOS and Oversampling. I have always preferred the former, and this occasion was no different, as I felt NOS provided the crispest and most direct delivery. Alternatively, the oversampling option could be worth trying if one desires a slightly smoother and friendlier sound.
Starting with the Driade Premium Model 9 monitors and the Aqua La Diva M2 CD transport connected with a Silent Angel Bastei coax cable, the uDAC surprised me with a remarkably robust bass and a very solid overall signature. With such small devices, one involuntarily expects a lean and relatively thin sound, especially when powered by a small wall-wart switched power supply. But when playing Fourplay’s extra bass-rich and super-smoothly-produced Silver, the sounds was even a bit too heavy, bordering on boomy. The sound balanced out fully after relocating the uDAC on top of the CH C1.2 DAC and leaving out the cork mat. Gone was the boominess, replaced with a robust yet upbeat and articulate bass, and a pure, concrete, and engagingly direct sound. Placement remains an important consideration, even with Laiv’s most affordable DAC.
Without having made a comparison to the uDAC’s larger stablemate, the Harmony DAC, I can tell that the refinement and fluidity are a notch or two lower with the affordable model. However, the neutrality, tonality, and linearity feel very similar. Also, there’s a self-evident and lifelike quality to the uDAC that makes it easy to accept it as good enough and not worry about any presumed differences compared to more costly products. A significant factor in this is its lack of electronic signature, leading to a very neutral and natural timbre. The uDAC consistently sounds so expressive, realistic, and involving that the mind wants to stop analyzing, despite knowing there is more to be gained by spending more.
Switching from the Driades to the Apogee Centaurs, the uDAC still sounded great. Even though I could now hear more clearly that the uDAC was indeed a little rough compared to my reference DACs, it nevertheless remained pure and musically hugely engaging. This is noteworthy, as the Centaurs are very unforgiving, much more so than the Driades or Magicos.
So, how does the uDAC differ, precisely? The uDAC exhibits similar articulation, tightness, control, expression, and transient behavior to the Harmony DAC. However, it lacks some refinement, resolution, fluidity, and spaciousness. While the uDAC is quite explicit and detailed, its sound is comparatively rougher and simpler. It does not introduce any added edge or hardness, but the finer details are not as well resolved. The reduced delicacy and fluidity are especially noticeable in the treble, which can come across as more blunt and staccato compared to the Harmony DAC’s smoother, more natural treble decay. Additionally, the Harmony DAC creates a large three-dimensional soundstage with lifelike depth imaging, whereas the uDAC presents a flatter and more compact sound. Despite these differences, there is still a significant overlap in performance, indicating that the two DACs are closely related.
Power Supply Upgrade?
The uDAC’s Wall-Wart switching power supply is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it is a cost-effective way to power an audio component and comply with international safety guidelines. On the other hand, most Wall-Warts are not of very high quality. However, this ambiguity can be turned around when you realize the Wall-Wart can be replaced with any other power supply with a 15V DC 2A specification. I’m willing to bet that the uDAC’s sound can be significantly improved with a more upscale power supply.
Listening – USB
When connected to the Antipodes Oladra server (in this case running MinimServer/MPD) via USB, the uDAC delivers a sound that is even crisper, tauter, and more precise compared to its performance with a CD transport via coaxial connection. This is precisely what I expect from a high-quality USB input. However, due to the uDAC’s crisp and direct nature, in some systems and with less capable servers, the USB input might provide a more “technical” sound than the more fluid and organic delivery of the coaxial input. With the smooth-sounding Antipodes Oladra, however, the USB connection sounds remarkably rich and enjoyable. The server also features a coaxial digital output, which helps illustrate this comparison effectively. Although the latest USB implementation from the Oladra has improved significantly and comes close to the quality of the server’s traditional digital outputs, there is still something to be said for the extra liquidity provided by its Reclocker section’s coaxial and AES/EBU outputs. Incidentally, the Oladra’s reclocker section also includes I2S, which is something the uDAC also supports!
Listening – I2S
After connecting the Oladra to the uDAC with a standard yet good-quality HDMI cable, the music played immediately, with no configuration necessary.
Via I2S, the sound is engagingly confident and toe-tappingly upbeat. It is even cleaner than USB, while also being less mechanical and more delicate. This aligns with previous experiences, where I2S was consistently preferred, or at least of the same quality as Coaxial or AES/EBU. However, in most cases, I2S takes all the positive aspects of Coaxial or AES/EBU and combines them with the best qualities of USB, resulting in a performance that is both musically engaging and technically flawless.
CD, Server, or both?
I have to hand it to the old optical format: none of the available servers sounded as fluid and delicate as the CD transport. However, the CD transport did not deliver the same tightness, articulation, and precision as the servers. This is a reality of technology; each has its strengths and weaknesses, regardless of the components used. Despite the format or connection method, the uDAC consistently delivers an impressively upbeat, communicative, and expressive sound.
More I2S
The I2S port also serves another purpose: it connects directly to the Laiv uDDC, a digital-to-digital converter with a re-clocker. You can read more about this in the upcoming dedicated uDDC review.
Conclusion
No matter the source, the uDAC surprised me from the start. While it may not have all the qualities of the Harmony DAC, it still delivers a gripping, toe-tapping, and expressive performance that is hugely engaging and communicative. This DAC is anything but dull or unexciting!
With its crisp and direct sound, the uDAC stands out for its neutrality and timbral accuracy, regardless of the price range.
Even if the uDAC does not lean as much into the high-end territory as the Harmony DAC does, it still provides excellent quality for the money.
External Links
Manufacturer: Laiv Audio
