{"id":44662,"date":"2026-10-15T11:38:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T09:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=44662"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:29:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T11:29:47","slug":"laiv-harmony-dac-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/usb-dac-reviews\/laiv-harmony-dac-2\/","title":{"rendered":"LAiV Harmony DAC 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample provided by LAiV Audio<\/a>
\nRetail price: USD 3.994 + VAT (4.599 Euro in the EU)<\/h4>\n

I fondly remember reviewing LAiV’s first product, the Harmony DAC<\/a>, almost exactly two years ago now. This lovely small DAC surprised me with its excellent sound, and it’s been an HFA Favorite ever since. Now, the company has issued its successor, the Harmony 2 DAC.<\/p>\n

Rather than stirring the pot, the Harmony DAC 2 keeps the winning formula. It takes everything that made the original so good and takes it further. The DAC section is unchanged and remains a fully balanced, discrete R2R ladder. However, it adds several interesting new features.<\/p>\n

The most obvious difference is visual: the screen is upgraded from a 16-level grayscale OLED to a super-high-res, full-color LCD, plus a new, clear menu structure and a beautifully crisp graphic interface.<\/p>\n

Other notable differences include a discrete Class A output buffer with concurrent XLR and RCA output, a dedicated hardware sample rate converter with selectable NOS, OS, and SRC modes for PCM, a direct 10MHz external master clock input, full digital isolation between input and output, a 12V trigger, and the possibility of USB-C firmware updates.<\/p>\n

An upgrade kit will be available for Harmony DAC owners. Please check the LAiV website<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

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New Display and User Interface<\/h3>\n

The screen has been upgraded from a 16-level grayscale OLED to a crisp, high-res, full-color TFT LCD, with a new, clear menu structure and a beautifully crisp graphic interface. At 960 x 400 pixels, it isn’t truly on par with a high-end phone in resolution, but the pixels are so small that I cannot see them, and the graphics are so crisp and clear that you might as well call it a Retina screen.<\/p>\n

To make the most of the screen’s high resolution, LAiV offers two user interface modes you can switch between at any time. The first, Rich, is for nearby use, for instance, on a desk, with small fonts and lots of information shown at once. The second, Simple, is for listening room use, with less information and larger fonts.<\/p>\n

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Discrete Class A output buffer<\/h3>\n

The Harmony DAC 2 adds a Discrete Class A output buffer with concurrent XLR and RCA output. This new buffer drives both analog outputs concurrently with low output impedance. This was possible with the original Harmony DAC, but not recommended, because both outputs were wired in parallel.<\/p>\n

Dedicated hardware sample rate converter<\/h3>\n

In addition to the original’s NOS and Oversampling modes, the Harmony 2 adds a dedicated hardware sample rate converter for PCM. You can now choose between pure NOS for the most direct path (which is my preference), LAiV\u2019s in-house OS mode, or a dedicated hardware sample rate conversion stage. These modes apply only to PCM, as an R2R ladder cannot read a 1-bit stream. The DAC also converts DSD, but it first converts it to multi-bit digital before the ladder renders it to analog.<\/p>\n

External master clock input<\/h3>\n

The Harmony DAC 2 accepts a 10MHz external master clock directly via a 50-Ohm BNC. On the original Harmony DAC, external clocking required the separate DDC unit feeding I2S. An external clock can improve the sound, but the DAC 2’s internal clock will also get the timing right on its own when no external clock signal is present.<\/p>\n

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New Harmony DAC 2 on top and original Harmony DAC on the bottom<\/em><\/p>\n

Isolation between the input and output stages<\/h3>\n

The Harmony DAC 2 places full digital isolation between its inputs and outputs, breaking the electrical path that noise would otherwise ride from your source into the conversion and output stages. Ground loops, USB bus noise, and upstream interference stop at the barrier.<\/p>\n

12V trigger in\/out connection<\/h3>\n

A 12V trigger input and output lets the DAC 2 wake and sleep with the rest of your system. This was already a feature on the HP2A preamp and GaNM power amplifiers, but the original Harmony DAC didn’t have it. This useful feature now extends to the Harmony DAC 2.<\/p>\n

Harmony RCX Remote<\/h3>\n

The beautifully sculpted Harmony RCX infrared remote control is included.<\/p>\n

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Review Context<\/h3>\n

I reviewed the Harmony DAC 2 in direct comparison with the original Harmony DAC in two very different systems. First, in the\u00a0Media Room,<\/a> in combination with the LAiV HP2A<\/a> preamp and<\/span> the fully analog Genelec 1037 studio monitors. <\/span><\/p>\n

Second, in the <\/span> main system<\/a>, comprising<\/span>\u00a0the CH Precision C1.2<\/a> DAC,\u00a0L1<\/a>\u00a0preamplifier, and\u00a0A1.5<\/a> power amplifier<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Digital sources include the Aqua La Diva M2<\/a> CD Transport, Antipodes Oladra<\/a>, and Grimm MU1<\/a> music servers. I used the standard LAiV-supplied power cables. Speakers are the Apogee Duetta Signature (recently fitted with new foils).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>All interlinks are Driade Flow Link Reference 808<\/a>, and the speaker cables are Driade Flow Reference 808<\/a>. All components (including review components) are powered by the PS Audio P20<\/a> PowerPlant.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Listening – Genelec system<\/h3>\n

Before I started listening, I left the Harmony DAC 2 powered on for almost two weeks. To compare it with the original Harmony DAC, I connected them using identical standard LAiV-supplied power cables in an adjacent outlet and reversed the cables halfway through the test to ensure I wasn’t hearing external effects. The source was JRiver with local music using WASAPI in Exclusive Mode, connected via a standard USB cable that I swapped between the two DACs. Power and USB cables can make a difference, but I tend to reserve those tweaks for the main system. I like to keep this “desktop” system simple and relatively sensible.<\/p>\n

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The Harmony line of components are a little too large for this desk, so I had to place them in the far-right corner behind the monitor. Then again, the Genelec 1037As can also be considered too large for this system, so I guess it balances out.<\/p>\n

Coming from the original Harmony DAC and listening to the Harmony DAC 2, it is immediately apparent that the new DAC follows very closely in the original’s footsteps. The difference is not huge, but I consistently find the new Harmony DAC 2 to sound a little crisper, more direct, and a bit more energetic. Between the two, I definitely prefer the new model. However, the difference isn’t so large that I can always tell which DAC I am listening to without comparing it to the other. So, I wouldn’t say the difference I’ve heard so far is a strong enough reason to upgrade if you already have the original Harmony DAC. However, the new model offers more, and some features might offset the balance quite a bit. To further assess the Harmony DAC 2’s other features, I will now relocate the DACs to the Main System.<\/p>\n

Next: Listening in the Main System and Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Listening – Main system<\/h3>\n

For the second comparison, I moved both DACs to the main system and used two identical Belden 19364 power cables with Bals Schukos and Oyaide C-004 IEC connectors, connected to the PS Audio P20 Power Plant. Instead of USB, I now used the coax inputs from the Aqua La Diva M2 CD transport. Since this transport has multiple outputs, I could connect both DACs simultaneously using identical Silent Angel Bastei coax cables. At the same time, I also connected my reference DAC, the CH Precision C1.2, via AES\/EBU. I then connected both DACs to the CH Precision L1 preamp using identical Driade Flow Link Reference 808 XLR interlinks, so I could comfortably switch between the two DACs from the listening position.<\/p>\n

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The Harmony DAC 2 lets you use both RCA and XLR outputs at the same time. With the original Harmony DAC, you could also do this, but the downstream components’ input impedances would add up, leading to a noticeable reduction in expression. Connecting multiple cables to an audio component always has an audible effect through shared grounds and other interactions, no matter the design, but the individual buffers significantly reduce the aforementioned negative aspects.<\/p>\n

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Another major change is its crisp, informative screen. How I wish more manufacturers would offer the possibility to choose between an information-dense or simplified interface! On a desktop, or if you have 20\/20 vision, the former is ideal because it shows all the relevant information at once. The latter shows less information but with larger fonts, and it works better when you’re listening at a distance or when your eyesight isn’t perfect.<\/p>\n

When comparing the two DACs in the main system, I again noted how close they are. The new Harmony DAC 2 has the edge in the exact same areas, and to the same extent. Here, too, the new DAC sounds crisper, more controlled, and more immediate, while the original Harmony DAC sounds a little more relaxed. On closer listening, I confirmed that the two DACs sound otherwise identical. For instance, I cannot hear any difference in soundstage width, depth, focus, or resolution. At this point, I should note that the DAC may develop further over the months beyond the two weeks I gave it, which might bring them even closer.<\/p>\n

But before you rush to the Conclusion, note that the Harmony DAC 2 has a few more tricks up its sleeve, and one of them makes a large difference!<\/p>\n

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Digital inputs: TOSLink Optical, USB, I2S, and Coax. The USB-C connector is for applying updates via a USB flash drive. Additionally, the Harmony DAC 2 now offers an external Clock input and Trigger input and output.<\/em><\/p>\n

External Clock Input<\/h3>\n

Perhaps its most significant new feature is an external 10 MHz clock input. Throughout my reviewing career, I’ve rarely been able to test this because I never had an external clock. However, the few times I’ve been able to run experiments with this have always underscored the importance of good clocking. This time, I do have an external clock to power the Silent Angel Bonn NX Switch.\u00a0Although the Silent Angel Genesis GX clock outputs a 25 mHz clock signal for the matching Switch, it also offers a 10 mHz output that is compatible with the Harmony DAC 2.<\/p>\n

The difference with the external clock source is immediately audible, and not subtle at all! The DAC now sounds more robust, concrete, and even more resolute. By comparison, it\u2019s a little drier, but also more precise; those qualities often go hand in hand. As mentioned, my experience with external clocks is very limited, but I strongly suspect that the balance between fluidity and dryness also depends on the clock. For example, the Genesis GX clock also makes the Bonn NX switch sound a bit dry, which I happily accept because it has a hugely beneficial impact in other areas. I’m sure the Harmony DAC 2 relays that sonic signature as well. Thus, a different clock might therefore produce a slightly different sound. In any case, the key takeaway is that an external clock can indeed give the DAC a substantial boost.<\/p>\n

Oversampling, Upsampling, and Filter Selection<\/h3>\n

In addition to NOS (Non-Oversampling) and OS (Oversampling), the Harmony DAC 2 also offers selectable 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x upsampling, meaning it can convert a CD to a maximum of 705.6kHz when set to 16x. Because I value bass solidity, incisiveness, and overall robustness more than airiness and spaciousness, I generally prefer listening to music at native resolution, and I particularly like the concrete coherence and precision of NOS. However, musical tastes and systems differ, so it is always good to have options.<\/p>\n

When you select In-house Oversampling instead of NOS, the DAC becomes smoother, more liquid, and a little sweeter, offering a useful alternative to NOS’s comparatively stricter, drier sound and benefiting unforgiving setups. When selecting Sample Rate Conversion (SRC), the DAC sounds leaner, airier, and more lightfooted as the chosen rate increases. In this mode, you can also choose between a sharp and a slow filter. Interestingly, and unusually, the slow filter has a very audible treble rolloff. A rolled-off treble response is a defining characteristic of slow filters in general, but with the DACs I used with similar selectable fast\/slow filters so far, the treble only started rolling off at the very top of the frequency range. Here, the roll-off begins in the upper midrange and is so pronounced that I can\u2019t see a use for it. Fortunately, it\u2019s an optional setting.<\/p>\n

A comparison with the CH C1.2 DAC confirms that the big Swiss DAC does not need to fear for its reference status. Although the Harmony DAC 2 improves on the original and I like it even more, it still offers a different sonic perspective. For instance, the C1.2 has a more powerful, richer, more organic sound with a grander soundstage whilst still offering reference-grade resolution, focus, and precision. Of course, the price differential is enormous, but that’s how it is with high-end audio. The last bit of performance costs the most. For smaller budgets, the Harmony DAC 2 offers all the functionality you could want (except AES\/EBU due to space constraints, but you can add this using the LExt IN2), along with a level if sound quality I would not have thought possible at this price point even a few years ago.<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n

I already loved the original Harmony DAC, but I now find the H2 even more impressive than its predecessor. Used on its own (with its internal clock), I consider the Harmony DAC 2 the reference at its price point, and quite a bit beyond. Paired with an external clock, its performance rises to a level where it can compete with DACs at twice its cost.<\/p>\n

Highly recommended, and a HFA Favorite!<\/p>\n

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External Links<\/h3>\n

Manufacturer: LAiV Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

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