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Light Harmonic Geek Pulse


blessingx

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I know a few here jumped on the Geek Out DAC/amp when offered on Kickstarter. Rumor is the desktop version is going up on Indiegogo in a couple hours. 
 
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/28/light-harmonic-introduces-desktop-geek-pulse-on-indiegogo/
 
“Geek Pulse” provides superb sound quality from a wide range of high-resolution formats, in an easy-to-use plug-and-play device. “Pulse”‘s DAC natively decodes PCM files up to 32-bit/384kHz, as well as native decoding of DSD64 and DSD128 files, and features the Patent-Pending 3L buffer introduced by Light Harmonic in Da Vinci DAC. The amplifier is pure Class-A, utilizing a super-quiet DC power supply to produce 3,000 milliwatts of clean power, enough to drive even the most insane headphones, as well as quality desktop speakers.
Connectivity is class-leading: inputs include 1-USB 2.0, 1-Toslink, and 2-S/PDIF RCAs; outputs are a 1/4’ headphone jack on the front, and a pair of gold-plated RCA line-out jacks on the back.

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I'm amazed at the industry response to these USB dongle-type DACs (Audioquest Dragonfly, Meridian Explorer, etc.)

 

I mean, a tiny device based on miniature IC's, with output stages getting juice from USB power? What does that say for traditional audiophile engineering beliefs (discrete circuits, beefy power supplies, class-A, sturdy cases, etc.)? Do they really match up to full-sized components, or are they "just" a gateway drug?

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I'm amazed at the industry response to these USB dongle-type DACs (Audioquest Dragonfly, Meridian Explorer, etc.)

 

I mean, a tiny device based on miniature IC's, with output stages getting juice from USB power? What does that say for traditional audiophile engineering beliefs (discrete circuits, beefy power supplies, class-A, sturdy cases, etc.)? Do they really match up to full-sized components, or are they "just" a gateway drug?

The USB audio dongles are pretty much a gateway drug in my eyes, but many of them clearly provide an upgrade to the built-in audio of the PC and Macs out there. For some people that will be the end point.

This new Pulse is obviously a step up from the Geek Out dongle. I'd order one to play with if I didn't already have a plethora of nice sounding multi-input DAC/amps to choose from (DACmini, DAC-100, HDP with S11, HR Microstack, HiFi-M8, Audioengine D1, etc...)

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You thought Head-Fi was bad.

Here's what backers have asked changed since funding ($199-$249):

Balanced curcuit throughout

Balanced XLRs out

Balanced 4-pin jack

LCD display

Simple display showing sample rates

More optical inputs

Removal of headphone amp

Loop inputs/outputs

User selectable voltage

Redesigned case (closer to $30K Da Vinci)

USB output

Set of fixed and variable outputs

Battery option

Analog volume control

Different DAC chip

"Bit-rate selector"

iOS support

Inputs moved to front of device

...and I'm sure a bunch I've missed.

Jesus.

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Mike Mercer?  That guy is 6moons quality

 

Please read this cable review by a Brazilian guy with Google translate.

 

Excerpt:

 

However, placing the SR Element CTS Analogue in the power conditioner, therefore feeding indirectly both the dCS Debussy and the AR preamp, the results are transmuted, and the sound becomes warmer, with textures and timbres even better and more palpable, mantaining correction and transparency but improving other aspects, providing more evident, natural and convincing decays and harmonic bodies.

We noted that in all these places, the plug placed in the power cable that provided better matched results in the testing system was the silver one. The manufacturer himself hints at it being more aerated. At home, more than that happened. With this plug, soundstage became ample, tridimensional and the sound more balanced than with the other plugs, the grey and the black one.

 

Redesigned case (closer to $30K Da Vinci)

 

Nice touch, very reasonable.

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