ЦАПы — Laiv Audio Crescendo VERSE

The Crescendo VERSE from LAiV combines three functions in one small aluminium box - a discrete R2R digital to analogue converter, a buffered preamplifier with fixed and variable line outputs, and a discrete headphone amplifier. It sits in the Crescendo line next to the CHORUS amplifier and the BEAT linear power supply, and is offered in Black and Gold or Silver and Gold anodised finishes with a tempered glass front.

Key specs that matter

Four digital inputs are fitted - USB, optical, coaxial and I2S. USB and I2S accept PCM from 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz and DSD64 to DSD256, while optical and coaxial stop at 192 kHz PCM and DSD64 over DoP. The XLR line output delivers about 4 Vrms from 82 ohm and the RCA output about 2 Vrms from 41 ohm. A balanced 4.4 mm socket gives roughly 11 Vrms from 5.1 ohm and up to 1100 mW per channel, and the single-ended 6.35 mm jack gives about 5.5 Vrms from 2.6 ohm and up to 290 mW. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 80 kHz within 3 dB. THD+N is 0.0045% for the preamp and 0.008% for the headphone amplifier. Signal to noise is 120 dB or better for the balanced preamp output and 110 dB single-ended, and 110 dB and 100 dB for the balanced and single-ended headphone outputs. Crosstalk is below -100 dB on the line outputs and on the balanced headphone socket. The unit weighs 0.9 kg.

Engineering and use context

LAiV builds the converter as a true balanced R2R ladder built from resistors matched to 0.05% tolerance, placed symmetrically on the two faces of the circuit board. An Intel Altera Cyclone FPGA handles the digital side, processing DSD natively as 1 bit and using an integrated sample rate converter for PCM. The chassis is made of 3 mm thick aluminium, and a 20 x 7 dot matrix LED display shows status. Headphone gain is switchable in three steps, LOW, MED and HIGH, so the same unit can drive sensitive in-ear models or harder loads. Power comes from an external 15 V DC 2 A adapter through a 5.5/2.5 mm barrel socket.

Pairing

A computer or streamer can feed the USB input directly, and a transport with I2S output can use the dedicated I2S port. The variable XLR output can drive power amps or active monitors with no preamp in between, while the RCA output suits an integrated amplifier with a fixed line input. The BEAT supply from the same line is the matching power option.

Alternatives

For a larger DAC without a headphone stage, LAiV offers the Harmony DAC 2 with a colour display and a 10 MHz master clock input.