Right now, we try the HP2A by LAiV Audio. A real balanced Class A headphone and pre-amplifier promoting for $2,700 USD.
Disclaimer: LAiV Audio equipped the HP2A for this evaluation. Headfonia and LAiV Audio are by no means associated to one another. Many thanks for the chance and generosity!
LAiV Audio
LAiV Audio is a comparatively younger model from Singapore. They began out in 2024 with their Concord DAC, which has shortly gained plenty of consideration and recognition.
LAIV was based with a mission to showcase Singaporean craftsmanship via high-quality, accessible audio merchandise designed particularly for every person. Leveraging a robust background in industrial automation, the founder introduced collectively a group enthusiastic about mixing kind and performance in audio design.
With over 50 years of mixed expertise in high-end audio, the group goals to transcend aesthetics, specializing in capturing sound in its purest kind. Impressed by reside music and orchestral precision, LAIV meticulously tunes its methods to ship immersive and unforgettable audio experiences.
LAiV places a user-centric method into their designs, believing that expertise ought to adapt to the shoppers, not the opposite approach round. Their merchandise solely use top quality parts, with a dedication to delivering gear that exceeds expectations.
Over time, LAiV has launched a few merchandise that are all linked to one another. They began with the Concord DAC. After that, the HP2A pre- and headphone amplifier and LExT had been launched. The µDAC and µDDC had been adopted by the GAnM mono-block energy amplifiers.
You’ll be able to see, LAiV has each element to construct a system with. Quickly (in Q3 2025) they may also launch the Net2, which – presumably – is a community participant.
In as we speak’s characteristic, we are going to have a look at the LaiV HP2A.
LaiV HP2A
The LAiV HP2A is a high-performance headphone amplifier and preamplifier designed with precision and audiophile-grade engineering. At its core is a microprocessor-controlled PMDR attenuator providing 60 quantity steps in exact ±1dB increments, working silently via an opto-coupler system for noise-free adjustment.
It includes a true balanced, totally discrete Class A buffered preamplifier that ensures distinctive sign integrity. The headphone amplifier part can also be totally balanced and powered by LAiV’s proprietary discrete energy amp structure, using high-quality EXICON MOSFETs for wealthy, dynamic sound copy.
Customers can simply change between preamp mode, headphone amplifier mode, or have interaction each concurrently, permitting versatile integration into any setup. The HP2A is DC coupled with no inductors, capacitors, or resistors within the sign path, preserving sign purity.
The LAiV HP2A exemplifies the model’s dedication to precision, innovation, and immersive audio experiences.
When trying on the technical nitty gritty, the HP2A once more surprises. Principally with its insane 11.8 W output energy as a headphone amplifier via its balanced outputs. The HP2A will drive nearly something in the marketplace to blasting volumes. The one ended output is rated at 2.8 Watts.
Everyone knows that output energy is just one factor although, and extra necessary is the circuit design and the parts used. How the HP2A performs will probably be described at a later stage of this text.
For the reason that HP2A is constructed as a totally balanced amplifier, it solely helps one single XLR analogue line-level enter. There is no such thing as a RCA or any digital enter. So, maintain that in thoughts, in case your sources don’t have balanced XLR outputs.
On the again aspect, you’ll find XLR and RCA outputs. The RCA’s have an output impedance of 100 ohms, whereas the XLR is rated at roughly 200 ohms. Matching this pre-amp with a excessive impedance enter of your energy amp (minimal 100k ohm) is really helpful. If you wish to be taught extra about impedance matching, I counsel Paul McGowan’s video on YouTube about it.
The headphone outputs are rated at 0.07 ohms (balanced) and 0.035 ohms (single ended). This makes the HP2A versatile for any headphone’s impedance. On its again, the HP2A options 3.5mm 12V set off in and outputs. These are glorious for a seamless integration with different tools to robotically flip the models on and off from standby.
It’s a characteristic that I worth very extremely just for its consolation. Moreover, its enter part is expandable through the Concord LExt. Merely join an LExt to the LE-Hyperlink connector and increase the inputs by both two analogue (RCA, XLR) or a phono enter.
The HP2A is on the market for $2,700 USD through LAiV’s net store or one among their international retailers.
Construct High quality
The construct high quality of the HP2A is of very top quality. Your complete unit is product of aluminum and is available in both black or silver. My unit, clearly, is black. The HP2A measures 255 x 250 x 75 mm (WDH, incl. ft). It weighs a stunning 4.6kg. This interprets to 10.04 x 9.84 x 2.95 inches and 10.14 lbs.
The one challenge I’m having with the construct high quality of the HP2A is in its three-legged design. Whereas the spikes are a best choice for decoupling the unit, the three legs trigger for some imbalance. Though solely when arranging cables for the primary time. After that the amp must be set. In the event you change cable or realign your system extra typically, this may develop into annoying.
In any other case, this can be a very small drawback. The problem is a bit larger with the LExt, the place I might have hoped to see a four-legged design like LAiV makes use of of their different miniature merchandise (µDAC and µDDC).
On the highest of the unit, you’ll find three little dents. These serve a selected objective: to mount different LAiV merchandise on high, just like the Concord DAC. This ensures seamless integration inside the LAiV product household.
Additionally, you will discover a golden part on the highest, which is for air flow. For the reason that HP2A is a Class A design, it’s going to generate warmth throughout operation. The HP2A has two small 1.5” OLED screens on the entrance of the unit, which inform you the present settings and quantity.
General, the construct high quality is exemplary, with a really minor flaw.
Usability
Utilizing the HP2A is moderately straight-forward. You’ll be able to activate the unit by urgent the facility button, which is situated on the high left nook. By lengthy urgent the facility button you may put the HP2A into standby.
On the entrance panel you’ll find a change/mode selector, with which you’ll set the output of the amplifier. You’ll be able to both use it as pre- or headphone amplifier alone, or together.
On the right-hand aspect of the entrance panel you will have the settings button, use the amount wheel within the high proper nook to navigate via the settings. By urgent the wheel down, you affirm the setting. Throughout common operation you may mute the outputs by urgent the amount wheel.
In fact, you may also use the equipped distant management to navigate via the settings and to regulate the amount of the unit. This then is a complete lot simpler, particularly if you end up not sitting proper subsequent to the HP2A.
It’s a quite simple and simple expertise with the HP2A. Particularly with the equipped distant management. The one factor to remember is to have the proper form setting on the amount management and the unit itself to make use of. You can see a triangle and a sq. formed image on the distant. In settings you may assign the corresponding form to your LAiV.
What I really like is that you should use one distant for all LAiV’s merchandise. You simply must assign the symbols to them.
A characteristic I put very extremely is to restrict the output energy after startup. You’ll be able to set the output quantity to -50 (my setting), -40, -30 and even -20 db. This may then restrict the potential of damaging your ears and the headphone’s drivers with too loud music.
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